


Pas de Deux

by KillaColella



Category: Twilight (Movies), Twilight Series - All Media Types, Twilight Series - Stephenie Meyer
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-04-09
Updated: 2020-11-14
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:27:39
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 40
Words: 184,335
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23556052
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/KillaColella/pseuds/KillaColella
Summary: Ramona Swan pirouettes her way through the chaos of life.Her younger sister Bella gets married and sets off a chain of events that sends her twirling down a path of love, hate, and destruction with a Volturi king.
Relationships: Aro (Twilight)/Original Female Character(s), Aro/OC, Aro/OFC
Comments: 1125
Kudos: 647





	1. Adagio

**Author's Note:**

> So I made a thing.
> 
> I had a thought, and I needed to write it. So this is what this is. Because Aro is gorgeous and we can never have too many Aro/OC fanfics right? Right? I think so. 
> 
> So enjoy this first chapter. Hopefully I will be updating this frequently enough. I was doing well with my other fanfiction, my prodigal son fanfic (which I am STILL working on...I just get bursts of passion/energy and I will get it back for it), so this one should be good as well. I'm a vicious procrastinator but I write a lot when I feel excited about something so hopefully the Aro interest will stick around for a while. 
> 
> Also I love ballet. And I'm excited to share my love for it in a fanfic.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Everyone! So for everyone reading this for the first time, I hope you really enjoy "Pas De Deux" and give it a chance past chapter one. What I will say, as I reread the first chapter, is that it gets better as it goes on. Before I wrote this fanfiction, I hadn't wrote anything for a long time, and I needed to write several chapters to get good again and get back in the groove. The story becomes a lot better written I would say Chapter 7 and on. 
> 
> I intend at some point to go back and possibly edit/rewrite the first couple of chapters. But it might take a while as I am trying to get this story going and finish it up before I go back and edit/rewrite. But again, I hope you give this a shot! Also Ramona gets a lot more likeable as this goes on, and I know there isn't any Aro in this first chapter, but he's in the second chapter, and they meet in that chapter too! You do not have to wait a long time for our main characters to interact, don't worry. 
> 
> Anyways, thank you all for giving this story a chance and I appreciate all of your thoughts and reviews!

**Chapter 1**

Adagio. It is a dance term, having to do with a slow tempo. Or something being performed in a slow and graceful way.  
  
  
Life, it seems, has a slow, continuous momentum to it as well. When it seems like everything is moving at the right speed, in the right way, surprises appear from seemingly out of nowhere and come steamrolling over you and everything that you thought that you knew. Ramona knew this well, and she thought that she typically handled these life surprises with as much tolerance and grace as she could.   
  
  
Ramona Swan had come home to her small studio apartment in the East side of New York City after eight hours of rehearsal, sweaty and exhausted because her new choreographer was _intense_ and intent on making a name for himself. Fighting through the exhaustion sweeping over her body, she slowly removed her slippers and threw them over with her pointe shoes. She stretched herself out onto the rug, rubbing her aching joints and rolling her foot around in her hand, reliving the pressure built up from hours of pointe.   
  
  
Her eyes glanced over to the mail that was waiting on the ottoman beside her that she hadn’t been able to go through before rehearsal today. Besides the usual stockpile of bills and advertisements that often flooded her mailbox, a delicately wrapped invitation with her name so elegantly transcribed sat waiting for her. Ramona eyed it warily when she saw the postal code. Forks, Washington.   
  
  
It was when she got an invitation to her younger sister’s upcoming wedding and all of the tolerance and grace that she had built up over the years crumbled as selfishness threatened to swallow her up. Ramona Swan’s younger sister Bella had only just graduated from high school and turned eighteen years old, and she was already engaged to some seemingly loaded, jumped up teenager. An Edward Cullen.  
  
  
Of course her younger sister would be married before her. Ramona had spent most of her life dedicated to ballet, training since she was about seven years old. Their mother had introduced both girls to ballet, but only Ramona had stuck through it and made a career out of it. At twenty six years old, she had spent most of her adult life worrying and obsessing over her craft and not focused on much of anything else.   
  
  
_Sure,_ she had dated, had the occasional boyfriend or fling but it never lasted very long. But in the end, they always grew annoyed and bored and none of them truly cared about the ballet or her dancing. It was an interesting first date topic that soon grew to annoyance when she _dared_ to try to get her partner involved in what she was most interested in. Most men didn’t care about dance, or ballet, or plays, or the opera, or classical music; they didn't share any common interests with her, so after they got over the fun of good sex, there wasn't much left to do with each other. In the end proved that they weren’t worth the little time Ramona had left over for her social life.   
  
  
However, _come on Bella_ …marrying at eighteen was adding insult to injury.  
  
  
The whimsical tinkling of her ringtone grounded Ramona back to earth as she grabbed her cellphone and looked at the caller ID. _Impeccable timing_ , she thought to herself as she braced herself for the conversation that was sure to come. She sighed, and resignedly clicked her phone on.   
  
  
“What’s up?” she answered, forgetting all formalities. She was too exhausted for them anyway. She got up and stretched her back, making her way towards the kitchen were her cat was sitting and waiting patiently for her to give her dinner. She smiled and gave the orange cat a small pet on the head as she fished around for its can of cat food.  
  
  
“Just like your father, not one for formalities,” her mother’s voice answered with a soft chuckle, to which Ramona rolled her eyes. “How are you doing baby?”  
  
  
She answered with the tell-tale metallic crank of the can opener, “Mom, didn’t we _already have_ our monthly phone call last week?” She wrinkled her nose at the odor coming up from the wet tuna but loyally scooped it into the cat’s bowl. It meowed in delight. “Besides, we both know you aren’t calling me to talk about how I’m doing.”  
  
  
A small second of silence passed but then her mother let out a small squeal, “Can you BELIEVE it? Bella getting married!” her mother gushed.   
  
  
Ramona raised an eyebrow and let out a very forced laugh, “Nope. Can barely believe it.”  
  
  
To Renee’s credit, due to the fact that she wasn’t living with them, she was always good at telling her daughters’ moods, even over the phone, “Oh I know she’s your younger sister, Mona. But Bella has been dating this boy for a while now and she’s completely _over the moon_ , you should see them! I’m not surprised at all.”  
  
  
She snorted, “No, it’s _totally natural_ for eighteen year olds to get married right out of high school.” She opened the refrigerator and grabbed the half drank bottle of Pinot Grigio waiting for her and poured herself a healthy amount of wine. She took a sip, and then another long one.  
  
  
“Well me and your father were high school sweethearts,” Renee said, as if to challenge her elder daughter. Ramona groaned and took another sip.  
  
  
“And look how well _that_ turned out,” she bit back sarcastically. She put her glass down on the table and searched her fridge for something light to eat. Leftover vegetable pad Thai it would be. She microwaved the sucker as she listened to her mom prattle about how excited she was for the wedding, how she needed to buy a new dress and new suit for Phil, _blah, blah, blah —  
  
  
_“So, should I tell Bella that she should expect a plus one from you?” her mother teased. Ramona shoved a huge forkful of pad Thai down her throat in response, stopping herself from saying something rude to her mother. After all, it wasn’t her mother’s fault that she struggled keeping a man for more than 4 months.   
  
  
“No, you shouldn’t tell her to expect a plus one from me,” Ramona responded, hoping that she didn’t sound _too_ sarcastic and snide. “Single again, mother.”  
  
  
The upbeat, sunny positivity of her mom was not going to be challenged, “Well that’s okay! Besides, maybe you’ll meet someone there!” she teased, “Edward’s family is _very good looking._ Maybe they’ll have a single cousin, or uncle.”  
  
  
“Oh, am I onto the old uncles now?” she joked. If she had a biological clock she would wear it as a watch on her wrist. _Tick tock, tick tock.   
  
  
_She could hear her mother smile though, and it did calm her, “Don’t worry sweetheart, your time will come. Besides, you are doing so wonderfully in New York, and with your dancing. Didn’t you land one of the solos in—”  
  
  
And for once she allowed her mother to sing her praise for a little bit, letting a wave of calm rush over her despite the irritation that her sister’s engagement was bringing her. Ramona would be happy for her sister, she decided. _And who knows_ , she thought to herself, maybe she would meet someone there. Someone special, and different.

* * *

Ramona hadn’t been to Forks, Washington, since about three Christmases ago, when she decided to spend Christmas with her father for the first time in a long time. She typically spent most holidays with either Renee in Arizona, or in New York with either friends or a boyfriend. That year Renee had started seeing Phil and since Ramona had no desire to spend time with a man whom she assumed would be a passing fancy for her mother ( _and wasn’t she surprised when_ ** _they_** _got married! And poor Bella had to move to Forks to be with their dad, because god forbid mom choose a husband who stayed in one place for very long. Probably why she liked him).   
  
  
_And now she was going to spend the next week in Forks. She had time that she needed to take off before she lost it all and her director said it would be better to take them all at once and get it over with. So instead of spending her vacation time in Barbados, she would be spending it in dreary Washington state. _Lucky her.   
  
  
_It wasn’t that she didn’t like spending time with Charlie. She did. His quiet, steady nature never failed to bring her that reassurance and peace that she sometimes desperately craved. But they were so different, and she knew that her father didn’t really understand her. Conversations were awkward and clunky. And she could only count a small handful of times that Charlie had actually came to see one of her performances.   
  
  
She didn’t hate him for it, or judge him. She knew it wasn’t his scene, and respected that.   
  
  
But it certainly made things awkward between them.  
  
  
And here she was, back in Forks, the small town just as cold and dreary as she remembered it. _Some things never change_ , she thought, as she drove her rental car down to Charlie’s house. She was planning on renting a room at a local motel for the next week but Charlie _insisted._ So Ramona made her way through the small town, admiring the lush greenery and trees and overall wilderness that she no longer go to see in New York City, to Charlie’s house. The small white house with the blue pickup truck and police cruiser hadn’t changed one bit since she was last here.   
  
  
“Mona, you’re here,” her father’s voice called, and she was surprised to see him look oddly chipper at her as she stepped out of the car to get her bags. “I’ll get those,” he quickly grabbed her suitcases before she had a chance and started walking towards the house. Too overwhelmed to argue, Ramona followed her father inside the house that she used to call home for two weeks during every summer growing up.   
  
  
“I’m glad you’re here,” he said, and he gave her a hug. She frowned, hugging him awkwardly back. Well this was un-Charlie like. He stepped back a bit, still holding onto her and staring down at his eldest child, “Have I ever told you that you’re my favorite?”  
  
  
They shared a knowing grin. Ah, the unmarried daughter emerges victorious. _Of course._  
  
  
“What’s the matter Charlie? Not ready to walk your little girl down the aisle just yet?” she teased, as they walked towards the kitchen together. He handed her a beer which she gladly accepted. Once again, things never change…and apparently neither did their shared dependency on liquor for stress management.   
  
  
“Well I thought it would at least be you first,” he teased back, which she shot back with a glare. “Never thought I’d be marrying a daughter off at eighteen though.”   
  
  
Ramona whistled, “That’s for _sure_. What’s the matter, is she pregnant?”  
  
  
Now it was his turn to glare, “Better not be.” He looked annoyed, all put off all of a sudden, “I think I might just shoot the boy if that’s the case.”  
  
  
She laughed, “I haven’t even met the kid. Edward? What’s he like anyway?”  
  
  
“Fine, I guess,” he answered shortly, awkwardly. _Here’s the Charlie I know_ , she thought. “Didn’t know if I liked the kid after the hell that they put each other through but Bella, well…she’s been insistent on him.” He took a long swig of his beer… _well that subject is touchy then_ , she thought.   
  
  
“Have you heard from mom and Phil yet?” she asked, to which he responded with a shake of his head. She shrugged, looking around the house for inspiration for conversation. Her dark eyes stopped at a picture of her sister’s graduation. “Where is Bella anyway?”  
  
  
“At the Cullen house right now, _practicing_ for the big day tomorrow I guess. She should be coming home soon though, I told her you were arriving this afternoon.”  
  
  
“Cool.”   
  
  
They sat in silence for a several moments, the scene becoming a very similar one too many she experienced in the past with her father as she sat drinking and wondering what to say next to the other. Apparently, Charlie was feeling braver than she was because it was him to break their silence.   
  
  
“So—how’s the dancing, uh…thing,” he asked clumsily. She had to give to it Charlie, only he could make the graceful and eloquent art of ballet sound so clunky.   
  
  
“The dancing thing is good,” she replied, “The company director promised to feature me more this season. I’m a soloist now.” She let the words dance off her tongue easily, as the response came so automatically to her since her life revolved around the ballet.   
  
  
“That’s great,” he answered awkwardly, and she ignored the fact that he didn’t really understand what she was even talking about because she knew he was _trying_. “Mona, I know I don’t say this enough but I am really proud of you—”  
  
  
“Thanks dad,” she said softly, and gave him a small smile of gratitude. Charlie grinned, leaned over to give her a small peck on the head and then opened the refrigerator door in excitement, “Alright, big question now, ribs or brisket for dinner?”   
  
  
The ballerina’s stomach grimaced at the thought. _Well it was only a week._

* * *

**Thanks for reading the first chapter! Let me know what you think! If you ARE deciding not to continue on this story from this chapter, please let me know why! Or what you didn't like! It'll definitely help me grow as a writer to know what you all think. :)**


	2. Dance Des Cygnes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was going to wait a little longer until I posted the second chapter, but I was too excited to wait and really wanted to share it with you! I'm currently working on the fourth chapter, my mind is just having so much fun writing this fan fiction and I can't wait to share it with you all and hear your feedback! Let me know if you like it and what you think!
> 
> Also, I'm going to post the music that I am referring to so that you all know what I'm talking about. 
> 
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1Rs51n-2dtY  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KhCJhVcIWXg  
> (this is what Ramona is dancing to. I particularly obsess over the part from 1:50 on and that's what I imagine Aro is seeing towards the end. The music is so haunting, I can't stand it.)
> 
> Anyways, please enjoy and please if you wouldn't mind leaving a comment or review, I love them and they give me purpose for my writing! Hope everyone is staying safe and healthy during this time.

As if to make up in comparison for Ramona’s sad and pathetic love life in comparison to her younger sister’s, she was gifted with the knowledge that her sister Bella had all of the poise and elegance of a blind flamingo wearing roller skates. And watching her clumsy sister attempt to walk a straight line in a pair of heels was just icing on the proverbial cake that Ramona made for herself when she started to feel bad for herself.

Her sister was in love though, that much was truly obvious. When Bella got home from her rehearsal at her soon to be in-laws house, she was more than excited to show her older sister pictures of her fiancé Edward. The boy was handsome enough, she supposed. A handsomely chiseled face, copper hair, flawless looking skin. _Bella has done quite well for herself_ , she thought, eyeing the perfect looking prom picture of the two of them. 

Bella showed her a picture of the rest of the Cullen family too, and Ramona began to understand what her mother said about it being a ‘handsome looking family’. It was odd, she thought, that they all looked practically like supermodels and yet at the same time apparently weren’t related to one another. The parents of the family looked particularly young, and she couldn’t help but judge the family on the _weirdness_ of adopting five teenagers at such a young age. _Seriously, who_ ** _does_** _that?_

As she brushed her teeth in the nearby bathroom she thought she heard the unmistakeable sound of a male voice coming from her sister’s bedroom. But either she was going crazy or her sister’s soon-to-be husband snuck in through the window. Ramona decided to ignore it and let the pair be; after all, she had her share of sneaking around under Charlie's vigilant surveillance when she was a teenager too. Although it _was_ supposed to be bad luck to see the bride the night before the wedding.

The rest of the night went by like a flash and it was already the day of the wedding, and Charlie’s house had turned into a den of madness as friends, and family members, and her dad’s cop friends had all come by to wish good luck to the young bride before the ceremony. Bella had left the house early to go to the Cullen’s residence, where she would be pampered and dolled up by her future sister-in-laws. Ramona had elected to get ready at home, much to Charlie’s annoyance as he was waiting impatiently downstairs for her to be ready to go. She could practically hear his foot tapping repeatedly against the wooden floor.

_Hmmm, maybe Charlie is who I got my light feet from after all,_ she smirked to herself.

Ramona curled her long black hair in large, soft ringlets. She did a bit of light makeup, nothing crazy and definitely nothing as dramatic as what she usually put on for ballet performances. She threw on her dress, a light, flowing, short red dress that she figured would be easier to dance in. She completed the look with a pair of beautiful white ballet flats which she laced up with a cream satin ribbon. Perfect, she thought, as she tested her outfit out with a quick twirl.

“Ready!” she called out to Charlie, as she grabbed her hand bag and quickly danced down the stairs. Charlie was waiting for her, all pretty and polished up in a brand new tuxedo that she imagined Bella must have picked out for him. His eyes widened and he grinned as he took in his eldest daughter.

“You look beautiful, Mona,” he told her, greeting her with a hug. She returned the hug and gave him a soft squeeze, smiling up at him, “You’re not looking too bad yourself there, Charlie.”

“Well come on, we better not be late.”

The two of them drove to the Cullen residence in relative silence, anxiety beginning to creep over them as they realized it was getting closer and closer to the impending hour. For Charlie, the anxiety over metaphorically giving his youngest daughter away, his baby becoming a married woman. For Ramona, the gut wrenching awkwardness of watching her younger sister get married to the love of her life before herself, as well as the impending awkward socialization that she would have to face once she got there, realizing quickly that she didn’t know anybody at the wedding other than her sister and parents.

_God_ , she didn’t want to be that pathetic looking person hanging around her parents for the entire night. She was determined not to be, somehow. 

They made it to the Cullen residence, a multi-million dollar looking home surrounded by a sea of lush, green forestry. Impossibly large windows exposed everything inside of the giant glass house. Again, she had to hand it to them as she gazed upon the modernized mansion, they had _taste,_ that was for sure. 

“Oh you’re here!” a familiar voice called, and the duo looked over to see her mother running towards her, shaking in excitement. Renee looked very nice as well, wearing a long, purple flowing dress, her hair curled and pinned up for once. Very unlike her mother’s usual Bohemian style, but she supposed it was a _special occasion._

__

Renee pulled her eldest daughter in for a tight hug, “I feel like I haven’t seen you in forever,” she said, squeezing her tight. Ramona wanted to roll her eyes but she smiled and softly patted her mother on the back. Sure, it had been a bit over eight months since she last saw her mother, but they both were busy! Besides, she saw her father a _lot_ less and he didn’t feel the need to make a conniption about it. Renee smoothed her daughter’s hair, looking her over, “You look lovely, sweetheart.” She glanced down at her feet, and gave a small smirk at her choice of footwear, “Ballet flats? Come on Mona, you couldn’t have worn heels for once?”

The daughter shrugged, “I want to be able to _dance._ ”

Now it was her mother’s turn to appear exasperated (“ _always with the dancing”, she_ ** _knew_** _that she thought)_ but she didn’t respond and instead grabbed Ramona and Charlie and started pushing them upstairs. Charlie and Ramona stopped in confusion to look at the odd display on the wall.

"Are those graduation caps?" Charlie asked, confused. Ramona also raised an eyebrow at the odd site, unsure of what to make of it. Her mother, never one to think too deeply or seriously on things, simply laughed with a declaration of "How creative!" and continued on up the stairs. Ramona gave her father a shrug and followed.

Ramona and Renee entered to find Bella having her hair and makeup done by two seemingly impossibly attractive girls. _Must be his sisters_ , she thought to herself.

“Oh my god, you’re so beautiful!” her mother gushed, running towards Bella with open arms and tears starting to pour down her face. “Crap, my mascara,” she cursed, lifting a finger to her eye. The short, dark haired sister gave a smile and offered Renee a tissue, which she accepted gratefully. Both girls looked at Ramona curiously, and waited for an explanation. Bella awkwardly waved her hand towards her older sister.

“Right, you haven’t met,” she said awkwardly, “This is my older sister Ramona. Ramona, these are Edward’s sisters, Rosalie,” she gestured towards the busty blonde, “and Alice.”

“It’s a pleasure,” she smiled forcefully, realizing she would need to be friendly with his family if she wanted to spend time with people other than her parents. Fortunately, the small dark haired one seemed to be of the Renee type, a bubbly little extravert that had no trouble adopting other’s into her web of friends. She smiled brightly and wrapped her arms around the slightly taller girl, “A sister of Bella’s is now a sister of ours!” The blonde didn’t necessarily look to share her sister’s enthusiasm but she said nothing, which Ramona could at least appreciate that she didn’t say anything rude at least.

“Charlie, get in here!” Renee shouted down the stairs for Charlie, who had in typical fashion hung back awkwardly not knowing what to do until he was told.

“You sure? I don’t wanna—” More awkward noises and hand movements followed. He came in the room, and the ladies all gave each other knowing smiles and small, joking gasps of shock as Charlie sauntered in all suited up, “I know…I look hot.”

Ramona began to fall back from the room as her parents, Bella, and the two sisters began to become all emotional and cry over some family heirloom that her parents got for her. Bella would be fine without her, she had the two girls and their mother to help her get dressed and all ready for the wedding. Besides, the entire rest of the time, everyone around her would be gushing over Bella and her new husband so she didn't need to hear her parents rave about her sister any more than necessary.

She made her way down the staircase and into the backyard, scoping out the ceremony space before the rest of the guests arrived. It was beautiful, designed like something out of a fairytale with delicate white delphiniums dangling overhead and the path and alter scattered in a sea of white lilacs and roses. The familiar pang of jealousy started beating in her chest but she ignored it, swallowing it down as she continued exploring the massive grounds. She found her way to a nearby open field with lush grass and plenty of space to move.

Ramona gave a small grin and opened her handbag, searching for her cellphone. Well, she had at least a half hour to an hour before the rest of the guests were supposed to arrive. They were having the wedding relatively late at night, don’t know why they couldn’t have it earlier…the sun was already beginning to set and the sky was already quite cloudy. Not exactly a perfect sunny wedding like she would have expected.

_Nobody will notice if I’m gone for a bit_ , she thought, indulging herself. Besides, her director _had asked_ that she practice at least two hours a day while she was gone.

She placed her cellphone on a nearby boulder and pressed play, letting the classical music of Tchaikovsky wash over her and bring her soul to another realm altogether. Ramona was transported as if to another land, and she let the soft sounds tempo guide her body, warming up with slow movements before picking up. _One, two, three, and four_ , she chanted in her head, letting herself get blissfully lost, ignorant to the world around her as she became memorized by the sound and the story of the soft violin. For a moment, she _was_ Odette.

* * *

It might have been somewhat reductive, but Aro found it necessary and insisted on attending the Cullen wedding as a reminder to the family of their deal. Theoretically, as long as the Cullen boy intended on making young Isabella into a vampire shortly after the wedding, the Volturi couldn’t protest keeping her alive at the moment. But he wanted to make sure their presence at the wedding was a _firm_ reminder of the promise that the Cullen’s made regarding the young human, as well as the promise that the Volturi made if they did _not_ go through with the transformation.

Aro had sincerely hoped that they would keep their word. He had hardly wanted to end the life of such a promising vampire, especially with the girl’s gift.

He knew a potential shield when he saw one. It would be a pity to waste it.

Caius and Marcus stayed in Volterra, there always had to be a king in Volterra, and he elected to bring Felix and Demetri with him on this particular journey to the states. They reached the Cullen residence and he had the two the vampires lay back, not wanting to cause too much of a scene. Of course, he warned his dear friend Carlisle ahead of time, no need to make a huge scene at the new couple’s wedding. All he had to do was promise not to make a meal of any of the couple’s distinguished guests.

An easy enough deal. He made sure to do his fair share of hunting before the wedding.

Aro was on his way to going into the house and greeting his old friends when he heard a familiar vibrato echoing off into the distance, not too far away from where the ceremony was supposed to take place. Never one for curbing his curiosity, Aro made his way towards where the music was playing. As he got closer he was able to recognize the music, although why the Odette solo of _Dance Des Cygnes II_ was being sounded before the Cullen’s wedding he couldn’t fathom.

He was soon met with an answer though, and he stayed back in attempt to hide his presence as to not startle the young human he found dancing to the music in the field. He watched as a young dark haired girl twirled perfectly to the music, a lovely figure, bright in red as spun around the green meadow.

A tiny thing, petite and skinny with strong calves from what he could only assume was years of pointe practice. Her arms moved with the powerful shapes of swan wings, her feet fluttering across the grass. It was almost _too perfect_ , he realized, as her body opened up in large swan contours and twirled pirouette after pirouette. The girl’s movements were controlled, precise, _exact_. Stunningly graceful, of course, and perfect for the role of beautiful, pure Odette.

The irony wasn’t lost on the Volturi king as he watched the young swan glide her way across the field. In the story of Swan Lake, Siegfried too had gazed upon the swan at first, preparing to take aim and shoot. After all, swans were for hunting. And Aro, the hunter in their story, gazed upon the lovely ballerina with a sudden fire burning in his throat. 

Ignorant to the looming vampire, the girl preened her neck, and his mouth watered as he gazed upon her beautiful neck and the blood coursing through it sang to him as a siren. Her heart was beating faster and faster with each turn, as if mocking him.

The pace picked up, the solo voices of the violin and cello beginning to intertwine as she danced her way to the end of the song. No longer caring if the girl caught him staring, he slowly made his way towards the ballerina, whose eyes were closed in bliss and her lips opened in a grin as she picked up the tempo at the finale. She finished with a final fouetté, her leg extending long and proud and she raised her hands up to the sky as if about to take off in flight.

“ _Bellissima_ ” Aro called to her, and the girl stumbled in shock, her wide eyes opening and staring at the intruder in surprise. Worried that the girl would suddenly transform into a swan and truly fly off, Aro gave her an honest smile and began to clap his hands in reverence. “That was truly _fantastico_ , la mia ballerina aggraziato.”

  
The girl blinked, surprise giving way to embarrassment as a tinge of pink blushed upon her cheeks. She tucked a loose curl behind her ear and smiled sheepishly at the stranger, “I—I didn’t think anyone was here yet…” she said awkwardly.

  
“Well, I am glad to have been able to catch you,” Aro insisted, his hand slowly inching towards her own. She noticed and held her hand out as if to shake, which he grabbed and rewarded with a kiss, “You make a mesmerizing Odette. If I could know your name?”

  
The dark haired beauty stared at him as if he had grown a second head and he could read from her immediate thoughts her unbridled disbelief at him knowing Tchaikovsky.

  
“Ramona,” she breathed, her brown eyes staring in a daze at his lips, which were still cushioned lightly upon her knuckles, “Ramona Swan.”

  
And like that his swan princess had a name, a fitting one at that, he thought, and as her current and past thoughts began to swirl a story inside his mind, he realized that his night was about to become infinitely more enjoyable than he had expected it to turn out to be.

* * *

**Italian translations : _I took about 5yrs. of the language so I'm pretty sure this should be accurate, but I'm not perfect._**

**Bellissima - Beautiful (more of an exclamation or describing someTHING as beautiful, instead of someone as beautiful - aka the term 'bella')**

**Fantastico - Fantastic**

**La mia ballerina aggraziato - my graceful ballerina**


	3. Incantato

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello everyone! Here is Chapter 3! I think I will be posting Chapter 4 on Monday...unless I can be otherwise persuaded lol
> 
> ALSO - you can also find this story on fanfiction.net, I added it to my very old account there. It will be the same thing, although a significantly less explicit version because they have stricter rules. That being said, I suppose if you don't like explicit writing (which there will be plenty of in later chapters), you might like that better. PM me if you want that link.
> 
> Let me know what you think! 
> 
> Quick Note on Ramona due to some criticisms I received: Regarding Ramona...I want to make it well known that I know she is not a perfect character...that's her point. I could have made a perfect Mary Sue and be done with it. Ramona isn't perfect...at times, she might not be likable. She is prone to selfishness and Aro will point out her childish way throughout the story. She is human, as we all are. Ramona can be narrow minded at times, and stubborn...she has serious control issues and uses alcohol as a coping strategy. But I think she will also demonstrate that she is overall kind, compassionate, loving, nurturing...with always the best of intentions. My hope is to develop positive character growth for my OC throughout the story.

**Note: Someone posted this edited picture of Aro with natural/human colored eyes (appear greenish/hazel), so I'm going to say that this is what he looks like in this story when he is at the wedding, wearing contacts. Thank God for whoever edited this picture. If you know, let me know so I can properly credit.**

* * *

The open field was perfect for a quick dance, and Ramona was excited to be able to stretch her legs a bit and have some space for herself. She was beginning to feel overwhelmed by the whole day, and it was the best way she knew of clearing her mind. The rhythmic, systematic artistic control needed for Odette’s dance helped her focus on something other than her sister’s impending nuptials.

It was her favorite dance of the ballet, the scene so beautiful and perfect. A pure, soulful Odette, transforms from a swan into her human form, the hunter Siegfried watching her. Only her poignant loveliness touches the hunter before he can kill her, and he changes his mind as he starts to slowly fall in love with the cursed princess. Ramona had always found the story tragically romantic and had longed to play the part of Odette in a professional ballet. 

The music ended with a beautiful crescendo and she breathed deeply, her body opening towards the sky as if calling for it to swallow her up.

“Bellissima,” a voice called to her, and she shook, surprised by the soft, melodious tone that cut into the comfortable silence. She stumbled a bit, her foot not quite hitting the ground right and she winced. Her eyes opened and gazed upon the face of the intruder and before she could stop herself she felt a traitorous blush rush up her cheeks.

He was handsome. Almost unbearably so. He was older than her twenty six years, perhaps late thirties or early forties. His skin was a bit pale but flawless, framed by a bed of dark hair similar to her own, except his was tied back away from his face. He was by no means giant, but he was taller than her and broader as well ( _not that it was particularly difficult to be so, as a 5’4 tall, slim ballerina_ ). He was wearing a stylish black suit with a white button down shirt underneath. An intriguing gold pendant hung from his neck and landed delicately on his chest. Attractive, hazel eyes stared back at her and seemed to glean and twinkle as they observed her gawking. 

His mouth turned upwards in a knowing smirk, and he began to clap, distracting her, “That was truly fantastico, la mia ballerina aggraziato.”

Ramona blinked, and at that moment she willed her brain to try and recall the few years of Italian lessons she took in high school. She smiled sheepishly as she realized he was complimenting her, “I—I didn’t think anyone was here yet,” she tried to explain, yet came out more awkward than she intended. _Great,_ she thought, _well Ramona this is why you’re single._

By some miracle the man didn’t seem immediately repelled. Instead his smile widened, and he stepped forward towards the girl, “Well, I am glad to have been able to catch you,” the handsome stranger insisted, his hand slowly inching towards her own. Expecting him to be reaching out to shake hands in greeting, she reached out and was surprised when he grabbed her hand and brought it to his lips. They were cold, but she could barely focus on that fact as her brain was trying to process the fact that she could feel his lips on her skin, “You make a mesmerizing Odette. If I could know your name?”

Her name? What was her name? And did he just say Odette? Did he recognize the music? Most of her past boyfriends didn’t know who Tchaikovsky was, much less were able to correctly identify the ballet that the piece was coming from. Her mind was swimming with thousands of questions, but she willed herself to focus. A seemingly intelligent and cultured, attractive man was asking for her name, and she was gawking at him like an idiot.

“Ramona,” she managed, unable to take her gaze away from his lips which were still _just_ _barely_ grazing upon her knuckles. She swallowed, “Ramona Swan.”

His grin widened and he gave her hand a final peck, his hands traveling gently down her wrist and before letting go, “Ramona,” his tongue rolled the ‘r’ in a delicious way, emphasizing his Italian accent which made her heart flutter even more if possible, “Un bel nome. A relative of Isabella’s then? I am Aro Volturi.”

“Aro,” she repeated, letting the foreign sounding name roll off her own tongue and appreciating the rich simplicity of it, “I’m her sister. Are you a friend of the Cullens?” she asked, noting the similar attractiveness between the man in front of her and the rest of the gorgeous Cullen family.

“I am,” he peered down at her, his expression changing to a devilish smirk as if he was hiding an inside joke, “A _very_ old friend, in fact. Carlisle and I go back a long time.”

She nodded, figuring that they must have been college roommates or something. “I see, are you a doctor as well?” she asked innocently. Aro had extended his forearm towards her to take and she grabbed hold of it, as he guided her from the forest towards the house. He chuckled at her question, a strong, low sound that vibrated deep in his chest.

“No, mia carina, I do not think that I have the right sort of _disposition_ to be a doctor,” he smiled again as if he said something particularly humorous. She smiled awkwardly, not really understanding what was humoring him but not wanting to be impolite. “And you,” he started, peering down at her small form, taking her in with appreciative eyes. She shivered. “You are a dancer.”

“Yes, I have actually worked for the New York City Ballet Company for the past few years now,” she told him, as they made their way through the ceremony space towards the house. Her heart was thrumming in her chest at how romantic the space looked, and how he held her body tightly to his as they walked under the hanging flowers and lush archways. “I’m a soloist now. I’m hoping that they will promote me to principal dancer soon.”

“Ah, you must be working very hard then,” he praised her, and they continued chatting about the ballet for a bit before finally reaching the house. She saw Charlie, Carlisle and Esme slide out from the back door, making their way towards the pair. The were beginning to hear the sounds of cars parking and doors opening as guests began to pour they way towards the back of the Cullen residence. Ramona didn’t realize how long she spent dancing and chatting with Aro; but the ceremony would be starting soon.

“There you are,” Charlie said, his eyes falling on his eldest daughter before flickering up to the man beside her. He gave the pair a look of annoyance as his eyes darted to their linked arms. Ramona noticed and rolled her eyes at her father. “We were looking for you, Mona. The ceremony is about to begin soon.”

“I don’t really see what that really needs me for,” she said back curtly, and as he continued to give dirty glances at their linked arms, she gave him a glare as if to dare say anything. The man next to her said nothing, just observing the tensing interaction between the father and daughter in curiosity, smirking knowingly. 

“Charlie, this is Aro,” she said, gesturing to the handsome man beside her. Aro let her arm go and extended a hand out, the perfect gentleman.

Charlie gave a gruff sigh and shook his hand, “Nice to meet you,” he said, doing his best tough, intimidating father impression but failing miserably, as Aro did not seem at all bothered by her father’s attempt at a rough handshake. Ramona grinned triumphantly. “And you are—?”

“A friend of mine,” Carlisle interjected quickly, and put a hand on his friend’s shoulder. Aro nodded back at Carlisle as they shared a look, Carlisle appearing to Ramona to look put off by the entire exchange as well. “Aro, this is Charlie Swan, Bella’s father.” The handsome blond inflected as if to signal a secret threat to the dark haired man, “I see you’ve already met Ramona, her sister…Aro, do you think could come and help me out with something?”

“Of course,” he answered, before nodded and grabbing Ramona’s hand, pressing another kiss to it, “Was lovely to make your acquaintance, I hope to see you upon the dance floor,” he said, and then gave her a small wink. Aro then said goodbye to her father with a brief “Charlie” and a slightly condescending pat on his shoulder and walked off with Carlisle.

She watched as her father’s mouth twisted to a full-on scowl, clearly irritated by his daughter and her new friend, and he glared at the backs of the two men walking away. Ramona groaned inwardly, knowing that he wasn’t going to let it go and leave her alone for the rest of the night. ‘ _If he ruins my night with his nonsense_ …’ she thought exasperatedly, imagining an awkward night of him not leaving her alone, as she fully intended on continuing her conversation with the cultured Italian.

Esme, noting the tension between the two of them, put her hands around their shoulders. “Come on, Charlie you have to go back in to walk Bella down the aisle soon,” she stated, guiding him inside, towards the door, “Ramona, you can help me, Jasper, and Emmett help the guests find their seats—”

* * *

Aro’s plan for the night of the Cullen wedding was to stay back, not bother to intermingle himself with the rest of the guests, and offer his best wishes to the new couple, tinged with the hint of a threat if she wasn’t turned into a vampire when she returned from her honeymoon. Aro thought that he was being more than gracious as it already was, allowing the girl the rest of the year to graduate from high school as a human.

As it was though, that plan flew out the proverbial window, as he found that he felt compelled to spend the rest of the night intertwined with the elder sister of the bride. Ramona, he thought to himself, was quite lovely for a human. If it wasn’t enough that he was entranced by her dancing form in the forest, one touch of her hand and he could tell that the passions she inspired in others were completely justified.

The girl was strong-willed and ambitious, not afraid to take chances when necessary in order to get what she wanted out of life. She prided herself on sheer perfection, a slightly meticulous quality to her that signified a greater plethora of control issues. She had indeed worked hard to get to where she was, but there was still a twinge of disappointment in herself that haunted her thoughts. While she worked hard to appear confident and self-assured to others, he read in her mind the constant nerves and low self-esteem that even when she worked her hardest, she feared she would never reach the success that she so desperately wanted. And the night of the wedding amplified these concerns; a younger sister getting married, the impending biological clock upon her ballerina career as well as a concern about being single…

As she talked animatedly about her ballet company, he let himself drift within her mind and found the source of her surprised amazement that he noticed when he mentioned Odette. Boyfriends, men who did not appreciate her…men who took no interest in the thing that she loved most in the world. She had her fair share of disappointment in that particular field, leading a childish bitterness towards her younger sister becoming married at eighteen.

And what her mind was currently thinking of him? A primal urge growled deep in his chest as he could read her attraction to him, her interest growing moment by moment and she was thinking of how she wanted to sit with him tonight, and talk with him, and dance with him, and possibly kiss him, and—

“There you are,” a male voice called, and Aro looked up to see Carlisle, Esme, and an older human male walk towards them. He felt Ramona tense in his arms, and he realized immediately from her thoughts that this man was her father. Aro noticed the man look particularly peeved at him holding his pretty little daughter so close to him and he held back a devilish smirk. He glanced towards Carlisle and Esme, who both looked on very concerned.

“Charlie, this is Aro,” Ramona said, and he looked towards her father who was currently glaring at him. This should be fun, he thought wickedly, and he held his hand out for the man to shake. The father begrudgingly did so, although not without attempt to strong arm him the entire time. Aro took a quick peek at the father’s mind, not that he needed to; it was clearly obvious that the father, who was already struggling with the loss of one daughter to marriage tonight, became irritated at the thought of his other daughter becoming similarly ensnared.

“—a friend of mine,” Carlisle interjected, and he looked towards the golden eyed patriarch of the family who was appearing more nervous by the second. He inflected a small threat to the Italian vampire regarding Charlie which Aro quickly dismissed, “Aro, do you think you could come and help me out with something?”

“Of course,” he answered, realizing that he shouldn't push the buttons anymore for the moment.He planted another kiss on Ramona’s hand, bidding her farewell, and purposefully gave the father a condescending pat on the shoulder as he walked off with Carlisle.The two vampires found their way inside the house and into his private study. Carlisle turned on him, looking clearly frustrated with the other vampire.

“What happened with Ramona?” Carlisle demanded, his eyebrows narrowing in anger and clearly expecting the worst sort of answer. Aro looked at the vampire’s work desk, scattered with papers and different figurines on it. He smirked as he came to a 3D model of the human body, peering at it in interest.  
  


“Oh, Carlisle, why must anything have happened?” he responded, his fingers trailing the 3D model. His hands stopped on a particular organ and he smirked deviously, picking it up and holding it to his chest, “I simply followed the sound of music and found the girl dancing in the forest. And of course, I was…” he looked down at the organ in his hand, his eyes twinkling in delight at his own amusement, “ _incantato_.”

Carlisle, on the other hand, did not look particularly amused as he stared at the 3D model of the human heart that Aro was clutching towards his chest, “Aro, you promised that you would behave if you were going to be here tonight.”

“And I have every intention of keeping that promise, my dear friend,” Aro responded, placing the heart back on the model, “I have done my hunting beforehand, no human shall be hurt by my presence here, I can promise you that.”

“Good,” Carlisle nodded, “It’s just—that’s Bella’s sister. Bella’s family is our family now, and we can’t have you hurting her…Aro, you have to promise—”

“I promised that I would not hurt any human tonight, and that is my _intention_ , Carlisle,” Aro cut him off forcefully, glaring at the vampire. All humor vanished and he was suddenly deadly serious, “As you, promised me, my dear friend, that the young Swan will become a vampire when she returns from her honeymoon in two weeks time. Otherwise, _well,_ ” he smirked again, although the amusement did not reach his eyes, “the Volturi do not offer second chances.”

* * *

The familiar notes of the classical violin travelled throughout the ceremony space, and brought a wash of peace and comfort to Ramona. She sat next to her mother and Phil in the very front, waiting for Charlie to bring Bella down the aisle. Everyone around her was chatting animatedly with each other, excited about the young couple’s nuptials. A group of extremely beautiful, blonde women and a handsome man joined the Cullens and chatted with them for a bit.

_More impossible, alien-like beauty_ , Ramona thought, growing slightly resentful.

She cast a quick look around the backyard, hoping to get a glimpse of the attractive Italian she was talking with earlier but unable to find him. Disappointed, she sat back in her chair with a large sigh, crossing her legs and ignoring her mother as she began to prattle on about things like hors d’oeuvres and the floral arrangements.

The violin picked up to signify the start of the ceremony, and she stood up, joining the crowd as they watched Bella and Charlie make their way down the aisle towards where Edward stood waiting for her. All negative thoughts dwindled as she looked backwards at the groom, who gazed lovingly at her younger sister and she knew they would be happy together.

The young couple declared their love for each other, repeating the vows and ended the ceremony with a kiss. An honest smile graced Ramona’s face and she stood and joined the rest of the guests in clapping for the couple. She gave her dad a quick pat on the back, a soothing reassurance as she could tell dear Charlie was starting to tear up. The newly married husband and wife made their way down the aisle, and as Ramona was watching them her eyes glanced to the far back side, where he stood out of the way and out of most people’s vision. Her eyes caught his and Aro gave her a small nod and wink. Her heart quickened, the traitorous organ beating faster and faster and she nodded back, sealing a silent promise between the two of them.

* * *

**Italian Translation:**

**Un bel nome - "a beautiful name"**

**mia carina - my darling**

**incantato - enchanted/spellbound**


	4. The Reception

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> OKAY OKAY - A thought on this chapter. Um...I think I might have been on CRACK when I was writing this lol  
> I like this chapter very much, but there's definitely some parts in which I read back and I'm like...jeeeesus christ, ASDFSF lmfao 
> 
> Keep in mind that this isn't love at first sight (at least definitely not for Aro, and more smitten for Ramona). And remember that Aro's behaviors aren't ALWAYS as nice as they seem... ;) 
> 
> I hope you're okay with the switching off of POVS. I like getting both Aro and Ramona's POVS, and it'll probably continue throughout the story. OH, also, I made a playlist on Apple Music for this fanfic, because apparently I have nothing better to do with my life. I know how to personally share it but I can't figure out for the life of me how to publicly share it, so if you know how and you're interested, let me know so I can make it public lol 
> 
> Anyways, Happy Monday! Enjoy this extra long chapter! Please, if you don't mind, leave a comment, let me know what you're thinking and how you're liking it. They definitely give me motivation to write more, and I'll try to respond to each one of you. Hope everyone is feeling well!

* * *

Despite what she had thought about her sister’s overall tastes in most things, she had to acknowledge that she did a fine job picking out the music for the wedding. Unless it was her new husband’s choice, but Ramona was thrilled to have found that the couple opted for a live band instead of a DJ. 

The sky had completely turned black by the time of the reception, and the Cullens had bright white lights cascading over the entirety of the dance space like twinkling stars. It was mesmerizing, Ramona thought, and she found herself feeling  _ quite _ good as she sipped delicately on champagne, swaying to the music. The night had so far been a lot better than she had expected, and she found herself even humoring her parents as they engaged her in conversation about her life in New York.

Her eyes gazed around the space and she found Aro again, who was chatting animatedly with Dr. Cullen and his wife. As if drawn by her gaze, he immediately found hers and raised his champagne flute towards her, beckoning her to come over. Ramona glanced over to her father, who was animatedly talking with his old friend Billy Black. Her mother was chatting with Phil and some random guests who she didn’t know. Feeling victorious and that she wouldn’t be thwarted by either of her meddling parents, she found herself being drawn forward by the handsome dark haired man, a moth to the flame. 

* * *

He was watching the girl from the corner of his eye, as he chatted with Carlisle and Esme about the newlyweds’ plans and how they were planning on protecting the newborn when she came back from her honeymoon. Ramona was swaying back and forth to the music, a blissful look upon her young face and he could tell she appeared more at ease than she was earlier in the evening. Aro watched as her eyes scanned the room, as if searching for someone until they landed upon him, and she smiled in delight. 

He raised his champagne flute towards the girl, beckoning her over. Carlisle and Esme looked at him disapprovingly. “Aro—” Carlisle gave a low warning, which Aro brushed off. There was nothing the blond patriarch of the family could do at this point in front of all of their little human guests. Carlisle would have to humor him. 

Ramona strode on across the dance floor with an air of confidence and self-assurance that she didn’t have earlier in the night. Her smile was honest, engaging, and she looked at Esme excitedly, “This is amazing,” she said, praising the woman, “I can’t believe this is your backyard.”

Esme smiled kindly at the praise, “Thank you Ramona. It wasn’t without effort.”

“I’d say!” she laughed, looking around at all of the twinkling lights. She took a sip of her champagne. “You should throw parties here more often. I might actually make it down to Forks during my off time if I knew there were scenes like this.”

“We’ll keep that in mind,” Carlisle chuckled. “Although I highly doubt that even we can compete with the nightly rendezvous available to a New York City girl.”

“Do you like living in New York?” Aro cut in, already knowing the answer. The girl enjoyed the access that the city gave her to one of the best ballet companies in the country. But the constant noise of the city stressed the girl out. The perfectionist liked control, and it was difficult for her to focus with screaming neighbors and the blaring noise of a stereo blasting in the middle of the night. Ramona gave a forced smile to his question.

“I love the company that I work at,” she answered, decidedly ignoring the question, “New York produces some of the best ballets in the country, and I’m proud to be a part of my company. We’re actually working on Swan Lake right now,” she said, her smile brightening and she looked at Carlisle and Esme in excitement, “It’s very exciting.”

“And I was so fortunate to have gotten a sneak preview of it,” Aro teased, “Our  _ piccola ballerina  _ performed a beautiful rendition over in your garden. She will make a wonderful Swan Princess, I believe.” He watched as her blush grew over his praise, and she started to wring her hands awkwardly. Aro knew she didn’t get the part. 

Ramona blushed, “Well, I didn’t get the part of Odette…but,” she said, her eyes lighting up, “I haven’t told anyone yet, but they are having try-outs next week for the alternate and I’m going to audition.” 

“Best of luck to you then!” Esme said politely. Ramona thanked her, raising her glass in a small cheers and took another sip. She didn’t notice that neither of the three vampires took a sip from their own flutes. 

“If you think that the New York ballet is sfarzoso, mia cara, you should see what we have in Italy,” Aro charmed, immediately gaining the attention of the dark haired girl, “we have a famous teatro in Florence, near where I live in Volterra. Very old, but some of the  _ greatest _ prima ballerinas in history have performed there—”

“Who's performing where?” a gruff male voice interrupted, and the father appeared from seemingly out of nowhere to stand behind his daughter questioningly. Aro watched as the girl’s pleased expression turned sour and she glared at the intruder. 

“We were just discussing Ramona’s illustrious ballet career,” Aro answered, peering down at the girl and giving her a small squeeze on her arm. The young thing blushed wildly, and the puppeteer smirked in amusement. “I got the privilege to preview her foot-work this evening, you have a very talented daughter.”

“Her footwork is  _ something _ , alright,” Charlie said jokingly, and Aro watched as the girl immediately tensed and began to bristle, as if knowing  _ exactly _ what her father was about to say next. “Years of pointe will do that to them, you should see the state of those things under the slippers.” 

“DAD,” the girl choked, her eyes and mouth widening in abject horror at her father’s attempt to embarrass her. The poor girl looked mortified, which Aro couldn’t help but find endearing. “Are you  _ serious _ ?” she blurted out. The man sheepishly tried to hide his grin. 

Aro decided to save Ramona from further embrassment, “A true gentleman knows not to judge or ask a ballerina about the state of her feet,” he said good naturedly, masking his own amusement for the sake of the girl. He was barely bothered by it, regardless. A natural consequence of years of pointe. 

The girl continued to scowl at her father, muttering “I can’t believe him” under her breath and took a rather large swallow of champagne, finishing it with one sip. Esme made a tiny noise of concern, before grabbing the girl’s champagne flute and steering the conversation into a safer direction for all parties involved.

“Oh, I think it’s time for the toasts,” Esme interrupted, looking towards her husband as if to get his help, “Come now Ramona, let’s get you another glass. Charlie, you’ll be sitting in the center table with us, Bella, Edward, Renee and Phil. Ramona, I think you’ll be sitting with the rest of our children.”

They scattered off to find their seats, Ramona to grab another glass of champagne and Aro smirked as he heard her whisper angrily to her father.

“Did you  _ seriously _ just say that out loud?” Ramona seethed quietly to her father, “what is WRONG with you?” 

Charlie laughed in response, clearly very pleased with himself for causing his daughter a bit of embarrassment in front of a possible suitor. “Oh lighten up Mona, it was funny.”

“There was ABSOLUTELY nothing funny about what you just said, I can’t believe you.” she replied, clearly annoyed. Her tone shifted and she began to gloat. “But you know what? He didn’t seem to mind ballerina feet, so your stupid attempt to embarass me was all for nothing.”

“Well, he’s a better man than me then,” Charlie retorted, clearly annoyed that his joke didn’t work out the way he originally planned it to. 

The toasts went by without issue. Aro found himself seated with the Denali clan, the other group of false vampires that lived off the blood of animals like vermin. They barely said a word to him, which he didn’t mind, deciding that he rather enjoyed the fear and trepidation radiating off of them. 

Their son Emmett, the large, ungifted one toasted first, “Umm, I’d like to propose a toast! To my new sister! Bella, I hope you've gotten enough sleep these last 18 years. ‘Cause you won’t be getting any more for a while.”

The room was quiet for a brief moment, and even Aro had to repress a wicked grin as even he recognized how inappropriate that sounded. The beautiful sound of laughter cut through the awkward silence, and Aro looked over to see his lovely new interest laughing heartily, clutching her drink to her chest. The father shot a glare at the elder daughter, who giggled slightly and suppressed her noise with a large sip.

After some rambling from a trivial human and the rest of the Cullens went, the girls’ father took the stage.

“Edward will be a good husband. I know this because I’m a cop. I know things.” the human said, drawing some laughs from the crowd. He looked directly at Edward, “Like, how to hunt somebody to the ends of the Earth,” more laughs, and Charlie’s eyes travelled to his elder daughter, before finding his own, “And I know how to use a gun.”

More laughs followed, and Aro raised an eyebrow at the not-so-subtle threat. He glanced at Ramona, who was looking enraged at her father again, clearly noticing who was the object of the threat. Aro hummed; it's not like that silly mortal’s metallic contraption could even do anything to him. However, he could do  _ many things  _ to his pretty little daughter.

Finally, the newly wedded husband took the podium, “It’s an...extraordinary thing to meet someone who you can bare your soul to...and who will accept you for who you are. 

I’ve been waiting for what seems like a very long time to get beyond...what I am. And with Bella, I feel like I can finally begin. So I'd like to propose a toast to my beautiful bride,” and all of the guests raised their glasses in toast. Aro found Ramona across the room, who met his gaze and raised her champagne, biting her lip as she blushed. The seductive pounding of her heart, quickening  _ just for  _ **_him_ ** , stirring him.

“...no nature of time with you will be long enough. But let’s start with forever.”

* * *

  
Despite Charlie’s juvenile attempts to threaten the charming Italian man’s interest in her, Ramona found herself glued to his side for the rest of the night. Nobody disturbed them for the most part, which she was incredibly grateful for, as it gave her the opportunity to talk to Aro and she found that they held a lot of shared interests. They sat close together at a side table, her body turned towards him as she gave him her complete and undivided attention. 

He had really impressed her with his knowledge of the arts. They had discussed some of their favorite ballets, plays, operas...he had even told her of a few that she hadn’t known about, painting the stories in picturesque detail that she felt she was transported into them. Aro talked more about the famous theatre in Florence which he visited quite often.

“I wish I could go there, I’m sure that it’s amazing,” Ramona murmured, her face resting on her hand as she tried to imagine what it was like in Italy. The way that Aro had described his home country sounded magical. Aro took her hand in his, and she marvelled once more at his cool touch as he planted another kiss on her knuckles.

“Perhaps one day, you will,” Aro’s eyes twinkled, as he brought her closer to him. The music changed and Ramona hummed in delight, thankful that the music shifted from new-age pop music to the slower, romantic jazz of Frank Sinatra. Somehow Aro must have sensed her desire, for he leaned down, his mouth grazing close to her ear, “May I have this dance Ms. Swan? ”

She must have flashed him her brightest smile, because she suddenly felt like the sun and the stars held her body captive, “Please.” 

While she usually would feel as if she was transported into another universe completely when dancing, the feeling of Aro’s body chest to chest with hers, one hand grasping her hip tight to his, the other holding her hand delicately, grounded her to earth. He guided her, moving her body and she struggled for a second, not used to being led around. Most of her past boyfriends didn’t know how to dance, and she often had to take the lead role. Aro sensed her hesitation, and he breathed into her neck, “ _Relinquish control_.”

And so she did. She had no choice either way, the  _ words _ that he had spoken to her and the breath on her neck turned her into molten lava and she could only do enough to be led around. It was a dizzying feeling, and Ramona never became dizzy; she could do 50 fouettes in a row and keep going if she had to. But the way that he held her close, guided her through the slow jazz, made her feel indescribably light headed.

They continued dancing through the next several songs, and she was again marveled  as he was able to keep up with her, not skipping a beat or stumbling awkwardly. When she wanted to be twirled, he spun her. When it was time for her to be dipped, he dipped her low, letting her dark hair cascade down like a river, before bringing her back and holding her close. It was the most fantastic dancing of her life, and Ramona never wanted it to end. 

* * *

Renee’s heart soared as she watched her youngest daughter with her new husband, who stared at each other so completely and desperately in love. Bella and Edward were slow dancing awkwardly but it didn’t seem to matter, as the two of them only had eyes for each other. She was standing off to the side with Phil, Charlie, and Edward’s parents, all gazing happily at the couples dancing on the dance floor. The night had gone as well as they all could have hoped for, and Renee was over the moon happy that her daughter had gotten married to such a great family. 

The mother searched the crowd for her eldest daughter, who had disappeared as soon as the toasts were over. She had half expected her to hang by her and Phil for most of the night. Ramona had tried to hide it, but she could tell that she was in a mood when she arrived at the house this afternoon. She slightly worried that her daughter was hiding off somewhere, hunkering down in some corner, drinking alone and miserable. 

But she was  _ pleasantly _ surprised when she found the object of her thoughts dancing on the dance floor, in the arms of a rather  _ attractive _ gentleman. And they were a handsome couple indeed, their matched dark hair and pale skin complementing each other nicely. She was surprised to see the man keeping up with her sweet child, who was infamous for over-dancing her partners. But they danced and moved together beautifully, and as Renee looked upon her eldest’s face, she saw a look that she  _ never  _ thought she saw on her daughter’s face before in her life. Her eyes started to tear up, and she quickly tried to wipe it without ruining her mascara.

“You okay?” Charlie commented, noticing his ex-wife starting to tear up. 

“Oh,  _ look _ at Ramona, Charlie,” she swooned, pointing out the couple just as the dark haired man was spinning her in a twirl, “She’s in  _ love _ .” she gushed. 

Charlie gave an indecent, sudden splutter, “What?” and then he looked at the pair in annoyance. Renee grinned, playfully hitting her husband in the chest. 

“Oh come on Charlie, have you  _ ever _ seen her look so happy?” Renee asked. Charlie took another look at the couple, paying attention to his eldest daughter’s face. He realized in that moment that he hadn’t and he cursed, realizing that the mother was right. 

Unbeknownst to the parents, who were currently experiencing  _ vastly  _ different emotions and reactions, Carlisle and Esme Cullen overheard their discussion and looked at each other in concern. 

* * *

At some point in the night, Ramona had gotten tired of dancing and her and Aro retired from the dance floor. Neither were particularly hungry but she got a piece of cake just to try it. She figured he must have had an aversion to sugar because he declined a bite, but instead opted to feed her a piece himself, watching her  _ intensely _ as he brought the fork to her lips and she took a slow bite, licking her lips and savoring the sugar. It was pretty good, she had to admit, although on principle she generally avoided eating cake.

Perhaps she had drunk too much champagne and was letting the dizziness of the night get to her, but  _ somehow _ the two of them ended up in the back of Charlie’s police cruiser. Her memory was becoming fuzzy, but she could remember pulling the Italian away from the party and pushing him into the car. She sighed, watching him dreamily as he peered down at her, studying her quietly. He hadn’t said a word since he climbed in the car. A torn look etched across his face, as if carefully considering his decision and wondering how on earth he ended up in the back of a police cruiser with an interesting creature. 

It was dark in the car, as it was parked quite a bit away from any of the streetlights and nothing but the moon was shining any brightness on them. It was starting to get cold, so Ramona inched closer towards him, looking to get some warmth. She was a bit disappointed as she realized he was very cold himself, as she laid her hand upon his and peered up at his eyes. But she suddenly felt _ very _ warm as Aro’s hands fell upon her hips and pulled her up onto his lap. She shifted a bit to get comfortable, and her breath got caught in her throat as she felt a hardness brush against her inner thigh. 

Ramona’s thoughts were completely dissolved as he caught her mouth with his, pulling her against him and ravishing her with his tongue. She moaned, opening her mouth and letting him explore it, urging him deeper and deeper. He growled, encouraged, and one hand trailed from her hips up her body as he reached his destination. He gave her breast a firm squeeze. Her mind was going a million miles a second, her heart pounding and her thoughts drifted to  _ other _ places she wanted the man to squeeze. Aro made an animalistic sound, as if reading her thoughts.

For the moment, Ramona was completely ignoring the fact that they were making out in her father’s car like a bunch of teenagers. She was letting herself be taken by Aro, surrendering control. 

A hard, loud banging knock sounded near Aro’s head, and he broke them apart, as quick as lightning. It made Ramona dizzy how fast he reacted, and she looked up to see a very blinding light being cast upon the two of them. The perpetrator began knocking the flashlight against the car, and Ramona’s heart stopped and got cold, as her brain started functioning again and she realized what was happening. Giving Aro an apologetic look, she climbed off him and moved to the other side of the car, opening the door. Charlie was standing there, a murderous expression on his face and he shined the flashlight towards Ramona’s face. She winced, covering her eyes from the bright light that was slowly giving her a headache.

“Bella is about to leave, I thought you’d like to see your sister before she left,” Charlie bit out, appearing none too pleased about the position he found the two of them in. Aro slowly opened the door and got out of the cruiser, straightening his tie and eyeing the man cautiously. Thankfully, Charlie seemed to decide to deliberately ignore the man, instead choosing to pay attention to his daughter, “Let’s go, Edward and Bella are waiting for you.”

Ramona nodded silently, deciding that this was not the time to get in an argument with her father as it slowly dawned on her that she was the one in the wrong. Using her father’s cruiser to make out in like a jumped up sixteen year old...what was she  _ thinking _ ?

Although Aro didn’t protest, she thought, and as she started walking she looked behind her and noticed him following them from behind, but keeping a good distance away. The man looked annoyed and a bit put out, but didn’t say anything, for which she was also grateful. They made their way towards the driveway where a freshly changed Bella was hugging her mother goodbye. 

Bella saw Ramona and the two sisters embraced, holding on to each other tightly. Ramona smoothed back her sister’s hair, “I’m so very happy for you,” Ramona said, honest and true. Because she was, and she knew that her sister found someone who truly made her happy. Bella thanked her before pulling her back close in for another hug. 

“ _ Be careful _ ,” she whispered in her ear, signaling a secret message that Ramona didn’t quite understand. She nodded though, and pushed a strand of her sister’s hair back behind her ear. “Enjoy your honeymoon, Bells.” She gave her a final hug and a kiss goodbye. She gave a quick hug to her new brother-in-law, and watched as the two of them entered the black Volvo and drove off to the unknown. 

* * *

In the last millenia, Aro could not recall a single moment in his vampiric existence in which he reduced himself to the characterization of a young, foolish schoolboy tonguing some girl in the back of her father’s vehicle. 

As it so happened... things can apparently change. 

He should have been more embarrassed, but the thought of the girl’s hot, warm body on top of his and the feeling of her heart thumping wildly against his chest cast all shame to the side, and he was feeling quite pleased with himself. Tonight had been a more  _ productive _ night than he had planned. Aro had expected the wedding to be a rather dull affair, him observing from afar, not taking part in the festivities, offering the veil of threat if Isabella wasn’t turned into a vampire. How could he have expected to have an entertaining little play thing  _ throw herself _ his way so completely…and Aro would have been remiss not to return the affection, after all, it wasn’t often he found young human women crawled onto his lap _so willingly_.

As she stared up at him in the dark car, he trailed his hands over her skin and read her mind. Her mind was practically  _ begging  _ him, and while he had some reservations about kissing the girl and fear that he would be unable to restrain himself from sinking his teeth into her lovely neck, Aro figured...well, if that Cullen boy can control himself,  _ he can _ . 

He was more than a bit put out when the girl’s father started knocking on the car door and put an end to their coupling. Ramona’s thoughts were on the path to becoming more and more wanton and he growled softly at the loss of contact as she removed herself from his lap and got out of the car. 

Aro followed the father and daughter back to the house, keeping his distance as he was not looking to start any problems with the elder human, and realized he had put himself in a bad position by allowing himself into the car in the first place. His gaze met Carlisle’s, who was giving him a look of exasperation and he shrugged, smirking. 

The blond patriarch took Aro off to the side, away from the rest of the wedding guests and flashed a look of disappointment at his old friend.  _ Oh Carlisle, ever so serious _ , Aro thought. He hadn’t even gotten a chance to  _ do _ anything to the pretty thing, Carlisle could hardly be mad at him for having a little fun. 

“Is this part of your warning to us?” Carlisle snapped, and Aro sighed,  _ of course he would be mad at him for having a little fun _ . “A threat against Bella’s sister?”

“I threatened no one,” Aro insisted, looking at Ramona as she was hugging her sister goodbye before she took off on her honeymoon. He flashed Carlisle a wicked grin, “I was just having a bit of fun. And as I promised, nobody has been harmed.”

His friend didn’t appear satisfied, “Fortunately,” he scolded, “Charlie was awfully angry when he realized where the two of you ended up. I had to speak up for you on your behalf and try to convince him you weren’t a predator looking to harm his daughter.”

“Well, one part of that sentence is true...I’m not looking to harm the girl, at the very least,” Aro responded, nonchalant, “But I can’t help that I find the little thing  _ molto interessante.” _

“Why would you even be interested in her?” Carlisle asked in an annoyed tone, “she’s just a girl, don’t you have more important things to focus on?”

“My dear friend, I—” and he stopped, as the familiar, wild beating of Ramona’s heart drew his attention and the two men looked over to see her staring at them. She was frowning, and her hurt expression made it clear to him that he had overheard them. She took a step back, and as he tried to utter an excuse and tell her to stop, she ran away. He cursed silently, giving his friend a dirty look before attempting to follow her. Carlisle stopped, his hand against his chest in an attempt to hold him back.

“Aro, let her go,” he said, “Leave it as it is. You’re a vampire...and you have a wife.”

With great reluctance, the vampire king agreed.

* * *

**Italian Translations:**

**piccola - small/tiny (fem.)**

**sfarzoso - magnificent/wonderful**

**mia cara - my dear**

**teatro - theatre**


	5. The Next Morning

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Thursday!!!!! 
> 
> I was going to submit this chapter tomorrow, but I didn't feel like waiting any longer to post it, so here it is for your enjoyment! :) FINALLY we are done with the wedding lol I didn't mean to spend three whole chapters at the wedding, but writing it was a lot of fun so I couldn't help it. 
> 
> I'm trying to follow the timeline of Breaking Dawn as much as possible, although it's kind of wonky and I'm going to take a tiny bit of creative liberty so it might not be exact. 
> 
> Thank you for ALL of your reviews!!! They make me so happy and smile and get excited to write and post the next chapter to know what you all think. 
> 
> Also - I hope you all enjoyed my crack-brained shenanigans of having Aro and Ramona SNOG like frisky teenagers in the back of Charlie's cruiser before being caught by him. It made me laugh like an idiot while writing it.

* * *

The drive home from the wedding was deadly quiet, but Ramona was grateful for the silence. She and Charlie didn’t speak a single word to each other, but she could tell that while he was still upset with her from what happened, he noticed that she wasn’t leaving the party in the same giddy, smiling state she was in earlier. She opened the car window, letting the cool breeze blow her hair and attempted to erase the memories of the night from her mind entirely.

‘ _ Why would you even be interested in her? She’s just a girl, don’t you have more important things to focus on?’ _ . The harsh words of the Cullen patriarch cut her like a dagger, tearing her good mood apart. The familiar pull of self-loathing was washing over her, threatening to swallow her up as she thought about the perfect, handsome Italian. The man whom, Carlisle was probably right, was way too good for her. The whole night was entirely too impossible, she realized bitterly. 

She didn’t hear Aro disagree, although she realized she didn’t give him time to before she ran away like a coward.  _ Because that’s what you do _ , the voice nagged within her skull, taunting her,  _ you are so concerned about appearing perfect that you run away from things that challenge your credibility.  _

Ramona didn’t cry. That much she was determined to not do, she didn’t want any awkward questions from Charlie or for him to become angry and verbally attack the man. At the moment, all Ramona wanted to do was go home, take a shower, and go to sleep. And try not to dream of a certain dark haired man. 

That night she dreamt of swans. And of princes. 

* * *

The sun had risen seemingly earlier that next morning, as if to mock Ramona’s futile attempt to spend the rest of her vacation in Forks asleep in her bed. The morning wasn’t a good start for Ramona; she woke up, brushed her teeth, then drank some orange juice. As if to further insult her, Charlie had just so happened to finish off all of the remaining shredded wheat in the pantry. She dejectedly sat down on the living room couch with a grapefruit, mindlessly scrolling through the television channels before deciding to just throw on cable news. 

Ramona was supposed to spend the whole week in Forks, Washington, but she wasn’t sure how she would be able to entertain herself while she was here. Charlie had offered to take the days off for her to spend time with her but she insisted he didn’t need to. But now she was starting to regret that decision, faced with a week ahead of her with nothing to do.

Maybe she’d go back to New York earlier than planned. She had stuff that she could actually do there, plus her cat would be missing her. Ramona would have to call her neighbor to let her know she’d be home earlier so they didn’t have to feed the cat and clean the litter box. 

Renee and Phil were still in Forks for the day before they took a flight home to Jacksonville. Ramona supposed that she could see what they were upto, and spend some time with her mother before she left, as she likely wouldn’t be seeing her until Thanksgiving. That was if she even decided to spend it with her mother this year. Thanksgiving and Christmas were always a busy time for her, the company would just be performing Swan Lake at the end of the year.

She texted her mother to see what she and Phil were upto before their flight home, and of course her mother was excited to spend time with her and invited her out to some shopping and lunch. Ramona agreed, deciding that even shopping with her mother was better than doing nothing but sulk in her room all day.

Ramona threw on a pair of leggings, leather boots, and grey crop top, and pulled her hair into a messy black bun. She waited for her mother to pick her up at Charlie’s house, as her mother insisted on carpooling. Her mother’s bright red rental car flew into the driveway, and they drove off to do some shopping in Port Angeles.

It was beautiful outside, and Ramona found her spirits lifting as they roamed around the different stores, looking at clothes, books, and random, unique little oddities that her mother found so endearing. They grabbed lunch at a small cafe, taking the window seat and checking out all the people in the town as they walked on by. Ramona drank her cappuccino silently, letting the steaming hot liquid warm her chest and quell the rest of her raging spirits. 

“Well, it looked like you had a good time last night,” Renee said thoughtfully, peering at her daughter with a teasing smile. Ramona’s calm control ended as suddenly as it began, as her mind began replaying last night again and how amazing it was, before reminding herself of the humiliating words from Carlisle to Aro before she left last night. 

She nudged her salad around with her fork, no longer hungry, “I suppose. Better than I thought it’d be.” 

Renee’s eyebrows shot up, “ _ Much better _ , I would say.” her tone continued to be playful, “I noticed that you certainly spent a lot of time with Dr. Cullen’s friend.”

_ Of course she wasn’t going to let it go. _ “Yeah, I suppose.” she managed, willing her mom to drop the conversation altogether. She should have known better than to hope though.

“Well, it appeared like you had a  _ very  _ good time together,” Renee implied, grinning, and Ramona inwardly groaned. Of course she probably knew about the police cruiser debacle. “Give me all the details, baby...did you get his number?”

“No, mom, it’s not...it’s not like that,” she insisted, before stabbing her lettuce with her fork more forcefully than intended, “He doesn’t even like me like that. It’s whatever, it’s fine.” Ramona shoved the lettuce into her mouth. 

“Oh, I don’t think that’s true,” Renee prodded, “He seemed as into you as you were into him last night.” Her mom gave her a small wink, “Trust me, a mom can always tell.”

Ramona rolled her eyes, “Sure thing.” Ending the discussion. 

The two of them spent the rest of lunch talking about the wedding and about Bella and Edward, and how they didn’t know where they were going on their honeymoon. They spent the time guessing the likelihood of different locations. Renee led them to a final antique store, wanting to search for one final thing before they ended their trip. Ramona was busy admiring an interesting painting depicting the fall of Icarus when her mother tapped her on the back, holding a rather large paper bag in her hand. She frowned at the bag.

“What’d you get?” she asked curiously, trying to peer inside. Renee squealed. 

“I wanted to get something for the Cullens as a thank you gift for hosting the wedding in their own backyard last night!” she said excitedly, “This is perfect! Come on, we’ll drive by their house before I drop you off since it's on the way.”

Dread filled her as she thought about stepping foot on the Cullen property once again. She could barely stand it. “I don’t know mom, maybe you can drop me off first—”

“Nonsense! It will only take a few minutes,” her mother insisted, shutting down Ramona and giving her no opportunity to argue otherwise. Renee didn’t know about her cringeworthy encounter with Carlisle and Aro, and how she just ran away before giving Aro the chance to say anything. As they drove towards the Cullen residence, she sunk deeper and deeper into the seat, as if willing it to swallow her whole and save her the embarrassment. They finally arrived at the modernized mansion; surprised to see the entire backyard already completely cleared of all the decorations. Renee started walking up the stairs to the front door before stopping, looking back in confusion at her daughter who was staying put by the car, unmoving.

“You go on without me,” Ramona stammered, leaning on the car. She took out her cell phone and started absentmindedly scrolling on it, as if to appear busy, “I’m not feeling very well and I have a few emails I have to make.” 

Her mother threw a quick whatever before climbing up the impossibly long stairs and disappearing into the Cullen residence. The dark haired girl heaved a large sigh, trying to will herself invisible and praying that the Cullens didn’t invite her inside. She reached inside her purse for her headphones, connecting them to her phone. Ramona quickly threw on a piece from Swan Lake, one of the duets, distracting herself from the world around her. 

Over the soft timbre of violins on her headphones, the loud banging of a door opening brought her attention back to reality, and she looked up to see Aro coming out the back, side entrance of the Cullen house. Her eyes widened in shock, before averting her attention back to the phone, as if it had the keys to helping her escape. 

It didn’t, and Aro strode up to her, leaning against the car beside her. In a childish move, she attempted to ignore the man, refusing to meet his gaze or even raise her head in acknowledgement. 

A gentle pull on the headphone cord. She gave a small huff in annoyance, realizing that he was not going to let her ignore him. Her brown eyes glanced over, and Aro was staring at her intently. He pulled once again on the cord and spoke loud enough for her to hear him over the music. “Please, mia cara, remove those contraptions from your ears.”

Ramona slowly removed the earbuds, her heart hammering in her chest and she couldn’t believe this was happening. She was worried about seeing any of the Cullens during this impromptu trip, but wasn’t expecting to see Aro here as well. He must have been staying with them for the wedding, she realized, feeling stupid that she didn’t think about how it would make sense that Carlisle would want his old friend from Italy to stay with them. 

Aro looked pleased that she did what he asked. “Good,” he murmured softly, as if talking to himself. She felt heat rush up to her cheeks. The music was still twinkling from her discarded headphones. Aro stared at her adoringly, and he hummed, “I know this part. This is the part of the dance when Siegfried makes himself known to Odette.”

She remains silent, transfixed and unsure of what to say. Aro continues, encouraged, “Yes, he appears to her, but the poor girl is  _ terrified _ . She runs from the hunter, wheeling in huge arcs, like a swan taking flight into the air.”

Ramona says nothing. She isn’t ignorant enough to see where the man planned to take their conversation. “You ran from me yesterday,” he finally explained, his voice lowering, deepening. She felt she was being scolded. “Before I could say anything. Or explain myself.”

She fiddled with her cellphone, feeling particularly self-conscious, “There’s nothing to explain.” she said awkwardly. She felt coolness on her skin, and his fingers gently turned her head towards him, forcing her to look at him. 

“There is, as I believe a tragedy has befell us,” he charmed, his words smooth as silk, “You believe me to be indifferent to you.”

_ Indifferent _ , she thought...well yes, that was the right word. Ramona imagined that the handsome Italian woke up the next morning, realized she was nothing but a passing fancy, a silly girl to amuse himself with during a wedding, not unlike many men who humor themselves by sleeping with the single bridesmaids. A proverbial notch on the bedpost.  _ Why would you even be interested in her? _ , the words echoed. 

Aro’s fingers left her chin, moving up to cup her cheek. A finger grazed against her lips. “Non sono indifferente a te.”

Ramona swallowed hard, before closing her eyes and turning away, “I heard what Carlisle said—”

“ _ Carlisle _ does not know my heart, mia cara,” he purred. He leaned forward, capturing her lips and she whined into his mouth. Ramona didn’t want to submit so easily, still slightly upset from what had happened, but she couldn’t help it...his tongue was exploring her mouth so insistently. She felt dizzy again, and was worried she might fall. He immediately moved forward, pushing his body against hers so that they were leaning on the car and she was supported between him and the car. He was crushing her, and before she knew it, he stopped kissing her with a low growl, as if pained to do so. She struggled to get her breathing back in order. 

“I—I’m going back to New York before the end of the week,” she managed. Aro tucked a piece of hair behind her ear thoughtfully.

“I shall be returning to Volterra shortly,” he similarly responded.

Ramona’s eyes searched his, debating her next move, before reaching for her cell phone and taking it out. She blushed and bit her lip, swallowing her pride, “Can I have your phone number?” 

Aro gave her a look of adoration, “I don’t have it mia cara. But,” he clarified, seemingly noticing the crestfallen expression that was sure to have possessed her face, “perhaps you can give me yours?”

She nodded, reaching for her purse and rummaging through until she found a black sharpie. Ramona slowly unbuttoned the sleeve to his dress shirt, blushing, pulling the material back. She scribbled her number on his arm, ignoring the intense expression on his face. Aro looked at his arm when she was finished like he was examining a fascinating phenomenon that was brand new to him. He rolled up his sleeve, her number disappearing underneath the posh black button down and he grinned wickedly, like a naughty boy who was getting away with something he should  **not** have been getting away with. 

“ _ Our _ little secret,” he whispered mischievously, giving her a peck on the cheek. The sound of an engine roared behind her and she looked back to see a sleek black sports car that seemed to appear out of nowhere. Aro gave her a small wink before sauntering forward and climbing into the vehicle.

When Renee came back outside, she found her daughter curled up in the front seat with her head in her hands, her face flushing a bright pink color. She didn’t ask questions.   
  


* * *

  
Deciding to make the most of the long trip from Italy to the States, and wanting to put off having to get back on the private jet ( _ which Aro could barely stand the metallic death trap) _ , Aro stayed over the Cullen residence for a bit. He hadn’t had an opportunity to spend time with his old friend Carlisle in a while, without the shadow of Caius breathing on his shoulder and angrily spouting off about their  _ unnatural _ lifestyle. So he spent most of the night and day chatting with the blond patriarch, leaving all threats aside as they reminisced on their past friendship.

  
That being said, he felt a little guilty lying to his friend about leaving the human girl alone. But it was necessary, he decided. Not only was the dark haired ballerina a _particularly interesting_ plaything to entertain himself with, he found that he quite enjoyed the power of holding the girl’s head over the Cullen family.

  
Aro didn’t want to admit it, but the Cullen coven was becoming more and more of a potential threat over the years. They had several gifted vampires, his _precious Alice_ , not to mention the intriguing possibilities that the young Isabella brought with her immortality. Their numbers were growing, and the addition of a shield increased a multitude of concerns that the Volturi did not prepare for.

  
The Volturi were law and order, and they were the only thing preventing the rest of the vampires in the world from going _native_ and destroying the whole of the human population. Which would also be a threat to the existence of vampires, and Aro didn’t even want to consider the horridness of having to deal with such a pandemic, of being responsible in issuing supply and demand in such a crisis. Living through the Black Death and dealing with that had been horrible enough. 

  
Any threat to the Volturi was a threat to the world, Aro reasoned, and not even his love and admiration for his old friend could prevent him from stomping out any threat. While he didn’t believe his friend would purposefully threaten the Volturi, his family’s rash actions could cause a mess if they were not careful. He had kindly allowed Isabella to be turned until after her wedding, much to the displeasure of Caius, who was not as patient or considerate. 

  
But, not for the first time, Aro considers what could happen if Edward refuses to turn the girl into a vampire, allowing a human to know about the existence of vampires and live. Aro would have to punish him, a just execution fitting for the crime that he had performed many times over the millenia. He couldn’t make _exceptions_ just because Carlisle was a friend. And if he did sentence the Cullen boy…would the coven attack in retribution?

  
No, he couldn’t risk it, and Aro felt a lot more comfortable knowing that he had another pawn in their game of chess that the Cullens hadn’t seen coming. He would not purposefully harm Ramona if he could help it. However, dangling the young dancer’s life as a threat against the coven if they _dared_ not keep their end of the bargain was an opportunity that he couldn’t quite pass up when it _so easily_ presented itself to him.

  
And as it just so happened, he didn’t even have to work hard to get back into the favor of the pretty ballerina. As if presenting herself to him as a particularly delectable birthday present, she was standing there outside of the house as he left that evening to go back to Italy. Aro was going to have Demetri track the girl down; this just made his day a lot simpler. 

  
As he expected, Ramona was still upset from the night before, exhibiting a childish behavior of attempting to ignore him even as he made his way over to her. She’s looking anywhere but at him,a small pout gracing her lips even if she doesn’t realize it. Aro realizes in that moment he finds the young one endearing.  


  
He can hear violins strumming from the white earbuds in her ears. Watching for her reaction, he pulls on the wire. She twitches a bit, but doesn’t move. He pulls them again, more insistently this time, “Please, mia cara, remove those contraptions from your ears.”

  
Ramona did what he said, removing the affronting plastic from her ears, and a satisfactory growl slowly released from his chest. “Good,” he murmured to himself, pleased. His throat was starting to burn from the quickening beat of her heart but he pushed the desire down. He suavely began to compare her to the particular scene she was listening to, watching as she became so easily _captivated_ by his words, as he compared them to the swan and the hunter. 

  
Little did the girl know, he was more of a hunter than she gave him credit for.

  
“You ran from me yesterday,” he finally got to, deciding to voice his displeasure with her. She shivered, and Aro smirked, pleased at her reaction. He continued, doing his best to sound personally affronted, “Before I could say anything. Or explain myself.”

  
It didn’t take long before the girl was charmed by him once more, their misunderstanding from the night before dust in the wind, long forgotten. He spoke to her in Italian, trusting that the language of romance would win over the girl’s affections. It did the trick, and soon enough she was in his arms and her mouth was _his_. And unlike the cool lips of a vampire that he had become accustomed to over the millenia, her mouth was **_fire, heat, damning flames_**...it threatened to overwhelm him completely, and his throat was burning and aching with need. Aro groaned, feeling himself harden as he crushed her against the car. She was mewling against him, and he could read all of her thoughts, how she wanted more of him, wanted him to _touch her, control her,_ ** _enter_** _her._ Aro growled, the predator inside him screaming to come out and he stopped kissing her immediately. She panted underneath him, a mess of dark curls and flushed cheeks.

  
Finally, the girl broke their silence. “I—I’m going back to New York before the end of the week,” she stammered. Aro knew this already, of course. This was not an issue for him though. In fact, he preferred that the girl was further away from the Cullens. 

  
“Can I have your phone number?” she asked, shyly. 

  
The human was cute, he decided. “I don’t have it mia cara,” her sweet, hopeful glance turned grim, and his favor for her pulled at him. “Perhaps you can give me yours?”  


  
Aro expected her to rattle off a string of numbers. It wouldn’t have been an issue, he could memorize a sequence of a thousand numbers if he wanted. But he watched her in fascination as she rolled up his sleeve and began to scribble on his wrist in blank ink. Aro frowned, _is this a normal human interaction_? In the vast millenia that he had lived, he had never had another person, living nor undead, write on his wrist before. It was an oddity, but then again, Aro did not keep up with all of the current cultural trends. 

  
There her number was written, on his left wrist, bolded in scandalized black ink. Feeling like he had just gotten away with murder, he smirked. Everything was falling right into place, how Aro wanted it. Ramona was giving him everything that he so desired, without even realizing what she was doing.

  
“ _Our_ little secret.” he teased. 

  
Impeccable timing as usual, Demetri and Felix arrived in the black sports car that they rented for the day and Aro left the girl as she was, flushed and desperate with desire. He glanced over at Demetri, who was lounging in the passenger seat beside him. Felix drove them to the airport, where the Volturi private jet was waiting for them. 

  
“Is everything all set with the Cullens, Master?” Demetri asked. Felix glanced back curiously, and Aro grinned, leaning back and relaxing into the seat. He closed his eyes, letting the events wash over him all over again. It had all gone better than expected.

  
“For now.” Aro answered. The truth was that only time would tell.   


* * *

**Italian Translations:**

**mia cara - my dear**

**Non sono indifferente a te - I am not indifferent to you.**


	6. Back in New York/Volterra

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Monday everyone!!! Posting this chapter for our start of a brand new week!!
> 
> This definitely isn't my favorite chapter, and it's bit of a filler and a lot shorter than the others, but it'll keep you fed until the NEXT chapter is uploaded, which I am VERY excited to post and have you guys read. There's some good Aro stuff and Ramona character development in here though...
> 
> Hope you all are feeling okay and staying safe and sane. I'm getting through this quarantine by watching Masters of Sex for the first time...which let me tell you, is BREAKING MY HEART.
> 
> ALSO, if you guys have twitter, feel free to follow me: @t_massachusetts. I mostly post about Michael Sheen and the 2020 US election (if you are not so politically inclined maybe don't follow me... lol).

* * *

The maestro was late to the auditions that day, having missed the train because of an unplanned visit from his cousin. Because he missed the train, he didn’t have time to stop at the local cafe to grab his usual cup of black coffee before work. And because he didn’t have his usual cup of black coffee, the maestro was in a particularly irritable mood. And due to his irritable mood, Ramona was confident that the man was going to screw over the hopeful ballerinas who were looking to impress the program director during the understudy auditions.

  
Leading the dual role of Odette and Odile was no easy feat. Her program director Derrick had given the lead role to Angelina, a most distinguished prima ballerina in their company who had been playing the part for years. But as there always was, there has to be an understudy, someone to take on the role when the prima ballerina was sick, or ill, or got injured. 

  
The eight selected finalists all sat patiently for Derrick to join them in the studio, all nerves and anxiety as they silently sat and wondered who would get understudy. Ramona stretched, warming up her body to prepare. The studio had grand mirrors adorning the walls and she tried not to look at herself, not wanting to psyche herself out before the audition. Derrick finally arrived, only two minutes after the late maestro showed up, and she closed her eyes, trying not to pay attention to the other girls as they each were called up to perform.

  
Finally, Derrick called for Ramona Swan, and she got up, taking her position and beginning her audition for the White Swan. All thoughts disappeared as the maestro began playing the piano, her body stirring with a mind of its own. Her feet fluttered across the dance studio and she took flight, casting off all doubts to the side and transforming entirely. As she reached the end of the song, Ramona’s spirits lifted in confidence that she nailed it.

  
“Beautiful, Ramona,” Derrick said, “I had no doubt that you would do wonderfully as our Odette. But that’s not what I was concerned about. How will you do as our Black Swan?” he wondered. Ramona’s heart thumped wildly, and she closed her eyes and waited for the music to change.

  
Ramona had practiced dancing the Odille coda solo from Act III multiple times, knowing it was going to be her biggest challenge yet. She would have to spin upwards of thirty two fouettes, landing each one perfectly. Except, with the Black Swan, it wasn’t about perfection...the black swan wasn’t perfect. She was scintillating, attractive…extroverted where the White was introverted, luring the prince into a dark and dangerous spell. With disappointment, she could feel her body tightening up, betraying her.

  
It was no use. _I’m not going to get the part_ , her mind thought miserably.

  
“Loosen up, Ramona!” Derrick called, clearly already frustrated with the dancer. Ramona shifted slightly, trying to fix herself. “Not so controlled!”

  
 _Relinquish control._ Aro’s command from over a week ago echoed in her mind, and she closed her eyes, letting herself be brought back to that night when she let herself lose control. _You can be the Black Swan if you want it_. Flashes of hunger and desire reverberated through her body with each turning fouette, as her mind drifted towards Aro and how it felt with his lips on hers, his hands running up her body, grabbing her breast, pushing her against the car.

  
“That’s IT, Ramona,” Derrick praised, as her fouettes became less controlled and her body language shifted. Open, inviting. “Keep going! Seigfried has finally laid his eyes upon you. Will you seduce him or flounder like a fish?”

  
 _You’ll seduce him._ The maestro increased the tempo drastically, as if daring her to mess it up. She was on her nineteenth spin, her legs showing no signs of stopping as they continued turn after turn until she reached the crescendo.

  
The music halted and she opened her eyes, brought back to reality as she found herself in the cold ballet studio once again. Derrick studied her thoughtfully.

  
“That was better than I had expected,” he told her, “Towards the end, you _almost_ convinced me you could be a Black Swan.”

  
 _Almost._ Ramona didn’t know how to take it. She muttered her thanks and left the ballet studio shortly afterwards, not caring to watch the few final dancers who had yet to audition. She made her way to her tiny studio apartment, ignoring the busy New York City crowds as that word echoed over and over in her mind “ _almost, almost, almost.”_

 _  
_Her small little apartment was quiet when she entered. She took a quick shower, stripping herself of her leotard, skirt, tights, and leg warmers, and tossing them to the side. She threw on some comfy pajamas, shared a piece of salmon between herself and the cat, and flopped on the couch. As she scrolled through her television and absentmindedly petted the cat curled up in her lap, she thought about Aro once again.

  
It had been weeks since she left Forks, when she had last seen the handsome Italian and wrote her phone number on his wrist like a teenager. _God, what was_ ** _wrong_** _with her_? The man was older than she was, by quite a few years, and she wasn’t a child anymore…so why did she act like one every time that man was around her? First, sneaking him into her father’s police cruiser and then writing on his hand…what a twat, she thought, hating herself just a little bit.

  
She had never heard back from him. Never received a phone call, or even a text message. “ _I don’t have it.”_ he had said, when she asked for his phone number. Ramona snorted, rolling her eyes as she considered the stupidity of believing the man when he said he didn’t know his own phone number. Sure, he was older, but he wasn’t _ancient._ The man _had_ to know his own phone number....he clearly just didn’t want to give it to her.

  
Her phone rang and she looked at it in shock, as if it was reading her mind somehow and answering her prayers. _Of course not,_ Ramona mused in annoyance, as Charlie’s name appeared in big letters on her phone screen. She debated letting it go to voicemail, before guilt wracked through her and picked it up.

  
“Miss me already?” she teased.

  
“Mona, I figured I’d call you just so that you’re in the loop. There’s something wrong with your sister, she got sick over her honeymoon.” Charlie said. He sounded tired and frustrated, clearly feeling the need to share this information with someone else.

  
Ramona frowned, “She got sick? What’s wrong with her?”

  
Charlie wasn’t able to give her much more details on Bella’s sickness. “ _Apparently_ she’s going to some medical center in Switzerland.”

  
“ _WHAT?_ ” she shouted, scaring off her cat curled up on her lap that hissed at her in anger before strutting off, “Why the hell is she going to Switzerland?! There are plenty of good hospitals in the United States, what on earth is so wrong with her that she has to fly all the way to Europe?”

  
“Those were my thoughts exactly,” Charlie said. “Glad I’m not the only one thinking this entire thing is crazy. Bella tried to convince me that everything was normal.”

  
“No, it’s weird,” she confirmed. She thought about going home to Charlie, who must have been feeling a wreck. Maybe she could convince Bella not to go to Switzerland and instead go somewhere more close to home…her father in law was a doctor for _christ's sake_ , Carlisle should have been able to care for her. “Do you want me to come home?”

  
“No, you don’t have to,” he answered, “I’ll give you updates as I get them though. You stay in New York, I know you’re really busy with your show.”

  
“Okay…just let me know if you need anything. Love you dad…bye.”

  
Ramona sighed, hanging up and throwing the phone to the side in a show of mental and physical exhaustion. She ran her hands through her curls, feeling even more stressed out than she had before. _Fuck it_ , she thought, as she crossed the living room into the kitchen and poured herself a very large glass of wine.

  
A week later, the casting list was posted on the wall of the studio. Ramona’s name was in large print, right next to the title: **Odette/Odile Understudy.** She cried that night.

* * *

When Aro had returned to Volterra, he was immediately bombarded by Caius with questions about the Cullens, and the status of the young mortal promised to become a vampire. His brother had been in a more irritable mood than ever as of late, and the situation with the American coven had caused quite a stir in their own coven. Postponing the transformation until after the honeymoon further enraged the blond vampire.

  
“In all my years—never have we been granted such insolence,” Caius hissed, antagonized. Marcus said nothing, clearly not interested in the conversation. Aro sighed, leaning back in his chair and running his fingers mindlessly through a book. He was not particularly concerned about the girl’s transformation; it was going to happen, that much he had seen in Alice’s visions.

  
“I mean, what is even the _point_ ,” Caius snarled, his tone becoming quite scornful. The young looking blond rolled his eyes in disdain of the idea. “it’s not like they can even _do anything_. The boy should get the transformation over and done with and then he can have a _real_ honeymoon.”

  
Aro smirked at his brother, amused, “You see brother, that’s where I think you are mistaken, I very much think the Cullen boy _intends_ to have a real honeymoon,” he raised an eyebrow suggestively. Caius scoffed, sputtering an undignified “ _honestly!”_

 _  
_Generally, Aro would have agreed with his brother, figuring that the fragility of humans and the inhuman strength of vampires were seemingly incompatible. Not to mention a rather dangerous proposition. While he had during his many years of living, sometimes went down the path of _playing with his food,_ but never to _that_ degree, and in the end the results always ended the same. And he very much doubted that Edward intended on making a meal out of his newly wedded bride. But now, his intrigue was aroused by the curious arrangement.

  
Upon his arrival back home, Aro found himself increasingly stir-crazy, plagued with desire and cravings that led him back into his wife’s chambers. Sulpicia was surprised of course; their sexual relations had dwindled _drastically_ over the last few centuries, and Aro had spent as little time with his wife as possible. After all, he had more important things to worry about, and Sulpicia was a grown woman who could take care of herself; that, and she had Athenodora to keep her company, as well as his essential Corin, without whom which he often wondered if Sulpicia would put up with such an arrangement.

  
But his travel to the States left him _hungry_ , with an appetite that couldn’t be sated with the warm and intoxicating delight of blood. So he took his pleasure with his wife, entering her bed for the first time in over a hundred years and attempting to release the pent up sexual pressure that had overflooded his body. It sated him; but it wasn’t _enough._ Her lips cold, her touches _hollow_ …his own body, going through the motions of what he was supposed to do, what he was supposed to _enjoy_ , but feeling empty after it all.

  
Aro had always assumed that after living over a thousand years, that it was completely natural for him to feel this way. That hollowness and emptiness was going to simply be a standard of living in his vampiric existence. The world around him changed, while he did not, and that as a leader of this strange, dark world he found himself in, it was his responsibility to grin and bear even the most miserable of existences.

  
However, things had somehow…changed. It was as if a flame was finally resparked in the cold, grey ashes of his soul, and he suddenly _wanted_ again. And the monotonous, unpassionate lovemaking that he had become so accustomed to, filled him with nothing but dread and disgust.

  
The weeks in Volterra continued to go on like this; Caius became more and more irritable from the Cullen situation, and it was starting to influence Aro’s already soured mood as well. He had also found his mind constantly returning to the human girl he amused himself with, feeling regretful that he did not have more time to _indulge_ himself with her. He remembered briefly that Ramona had written her number on his wrist, a delightfully _human_ thing for her to do, but he had washed the ink off shortly after returning home. He had no desire to reveal _that_ little detail with anyone else in the coven. And after hearing news that Isabella Swan had indeed been turned, Aro could find no good excuse of concerning himself with the Cullen clan, or with sweet Ramona.

  
Which was a _pity,_ because the vampire was hoping for an excuse to see the ballerina again. Even if it was under less than ideal circumstances…at least on her end. 

  
His daily musings were interrupted with the opening of the main gate, and Aro looked over in annoyance, expecting to see their new human secretary bother them with some trivial matter. To his surprise, however, it was Santiago, escorting one of the Denali sisters into the main chamber. He had only seen the female just a few months beforehand, at the Cullen wedding. Aro wondered if she remembered him being there, and if she had taken notice of his harmless little dalliance with the human girl.

  
He felt an immediate desire to kill the golden eyed freak. “What a pleasant surprise,” he drawled. To his amusement, Caius reacted more hostile towards the female than even he did, closing the book he was looking at harshly and whipping around towards the vampire.

  
“What do you want?” Caius demanded. She paused, looking unsure. “ _Hm_?” he mocked.

  
The golden eyed vampire, _Irina if he remembered correctly (a dull, ungifted thing)_ , finally managed to work up her courage, “I have to report a crime. The Cullens,” Aro’s interest sparked immediately, and he looked up from his book, “they’ve done something terrible.”

  
Not wishing to waste any time, Aro immediately slammed his own book shut and grabbed her hands. Her mind was a mess of emotions, riddled with despair over losing a potential mate and an intense hatred for wolves, but he found the object of her concern. A memory, of a newly turned Isabella Swan, out in the forest with a child. The child revealed herself to Irina, leaping high into the air to innocently catch a snowflake on her tongue. _An immortal child._ The word screamed at him from her head like a curse.

  
And just like that, Aro would be able to swing the sword, justified by their treason. 

* * *

  
**No Italian translations this chapter!!!!**  
  
Ciao for now! ;) 


	7. Pas de Deux

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHH!! I am SO excited for you to finally read this chapter. I've been looking forward to posting this chapter for over a week or so now since writing it. Please, please let me know what you think! 
> 
> Remember what this fanfiction is rated - if it isn't your cup of tea, I will have everything posted on Fanfiction.net as well, under the same name. 
> 
> Have a great Thursday everybody!! And we're almost out of April! CAN YOU BELIEVE IT? HOW DID APRIL GO BY SO FAST YET MARCH TOOK FOREVER?

* * *

By the fifth hour of rehearsals, Ramona was beginning to feel the consequences of skipping out on her usual physical therapy appointment and she was dearly regretting that decision. Her toes were pinching and she could feel the tenseness and she could _feel_ pressure in her diaphragm that needed to be released. As Derrick’s attention was drawn away to criticize one of the newer soloists, she leaned back against the barre in exhaustion. Ramona’s eyes glanced to the clock at the wall, and she sighed happily, realizing her five minute break would be coming up shortly. 

She was secretly praying that Derrick would let them out early. He had them practice later than usual the past few nights, as opening night crept closer and closer in on them. Thursday night would be their company’s debut, and though it was two days away, even Ramona’s anxiety over her preparedness was no match for the total lack of energy she was beginning to feel.

  
Her program director had been harder on her as of lately, but she couldn’t blame the man. He risked a lot for his production trusting her as alternate to the lead role. While Derrick was confident in her White Swan, he was becoming less and less confident in her ability to tempt the audiences with her transformation into Odile. He saw a _glimpse_ of her, one that pleased him enough to give her the part…but it had been a struggle since then. Ramona worked hard day in and day out to prove to him that she could play the role, dancing until her feet were sore and bleeding. But still…she _felt_ his disappointment.

  
It had been months since that first audition, since she was able to win over the program director with her coda solo. Ramona thought back to what was different about that performance. _Relinquish control_ , a memory whispered mockingly. She scowled at the memory; it served her nothing except to act as a reminder that most things in life turn out too good to be true.

  
Finally, her five minute break arrived and she huddled into the corner of the studio with the rest of the girls. After carefully rolling out her muscles and taking a few sips of water, Ramona grabbed her cellphone, rewarding her brain with a much needed social media break. She received a few texts from Bella, but that was it within the last hour. Her sister was finally back from Switzerland at back in Forks, all recovered from whatever illness plagued her during her honeymoon. They were texting back and forth about visiting soon, and she had hoped she could convince Bella and her new husband to make the trip up to New York.

  
“Alright soloists, back up. Ramona, Paulo, you two are going to practice the grand pas de deux from Act III,” Derrick called, and Ramona sighed, getting up slowly and cracking her back. She opened her eyes, ready to dance the duet when her gaze travelled just a bit off from her dance partner and she stumbled in shock. Aro was leaning against the far glass wall of the studio, looking perfectly content and relaxed in a simple dress shirt and black trousers, the small smirk gracing his lips widening as he noticed she caught him.

  
 _Fucking damnit_ , was all Ramona could think, before throwing herself to her dance partner, praying to whatever divine being that she didn’t make an absolute ass of herself. 

* * *

The Volturi had arranged almost the entire guard to go to the States, wanting to meet the Cullen coven with a display of full force. Aro decidedly wanted to leave Sulpicia at home, and Caius of course followed in typical fashion, so they left their wives at home with a few trustworthy guards. While he purposefully did not reveal to Caius why he needed to stop in New York City before stopping in Washington, he let his brother know that it was important and a potential weapon to use against the Cullens if needed. _Not a complete lie_ , Aro thought. Caius seemed satisfied however, and didn’t argue against it.

  
Aro rubbed tiredly at his eyes, bothered by the contacts that were drying them out.

  
He took the second private jet that they owned, as well as Demetri, and the two of them flew to New York City. Aro had explained the situation to Demetri prior to the flight, trusting the vampire to keep the true business of their separate trip discrete. The young vampire could be trusted though, and he required the tracker’s skills in order to be able to find the young human. The tracker had the scent of Isabella; now he needed to locate that scent in the vast city.

  
Demetri’s tracking prowess led them to a rather tall, white building located off of 45th Street. He dismissed the tracker for the night, telling him that he would not be needing him for a while and to enjoy himself for the evening. The boy didn’t have to be told twice before excitedly running off.

  
It hadn’t taken long for Aro to figure out where his ballerina was hidden; he made his way into the main lobby and asked for the location of the ballet rehearsals. The woman at the front desk dared to give him some pushback, but the vampire quickly explained that he was here to pick up his girlfriend from her practice, Ramona Swan. Curiously, the name apparently _meant_ something to the woman because she immediately let him know that the ballerina was in Studio 5 on the third floor.

  
The studio was rather large, with glass mirrors covering one side of the walls and a long barre covering the other side. A number of men and women crowded the room, all going through various motions and performing different sequences. Aro eventually found _his_ ballerina, sitting to the side of the room. Her long dark hair was pulled up in a bun, and Aro had to admit that the girl looked rather cute in her white tutu. She wasn’t paying attention, of course, seemingly engrossed her cellular device. The vampire found a spot in the side of the room away from the dancers and leaned against the wall, waiting for her to notice him.

  
“Alright soloists, back up. Ramona, Paulo, you two are going to practice the grand pas de deux from Act III,” an older man called, presumably the director. Aro watched as Ramona got up with a small wince and a sigh, _she’s tired,_ he thought, noticing the way she cracked her back with an exhausted expression on her face.

  
As the girl faced her dance partner, her gaze wandered the room until it found him and he smirked as she stumbled in shock. Ramona had no time to react to his presence before the maestro began to play the music and she glided across the studio. 

Aro was surprised to see her dancing the lead role, as he did not truly believe she would have gotten the alternate despite her natural talents. He would have thought this starry-eyed human was too tight, too tense to let go of the inhibitions needed to capture the seductive qualities of the Black Swan. He watched her as she began encircling the prince, beckoning him with sensual, fluid movements of the wrists and arms. Ramona’s form is beautiful, perfect even; but stiff, like she is holding back. She bent her body provocatively backwards as the man grasped her waist, lifting her delicate leg in the air. But Aro _didn’t believe it_. And neither did her production director, as he started to bark orders at the girl.

  
They had gone at it for almost an hour, with Ramona redoing the choreography again and again until her director decided he was satisfied enough. “We’re finished tonight, go home everyone,” the man finally announced. Ramona sprinted off to her bag like a mustang before plopping unceremoniously on the floor. Aro made his way on over to her, ignoring the questioning glances that came his way. Her eyes flickered up and he was surprised to see her eyebrows narrow in a frown, as she continued to work silently on unlacing her pointe shoes. 

“Ramona,” he said softly. She raised an eyebrow in annoyance. Aro swallowed, feeling suddenly foolish and unprepared…this was _not_ the sort of reaction he was expecting to get. She threw her pointe slippers into the bag and worked her sneakers onto her feet. “Ramona, I wanted…I wanted to come and see you.” he finished awkwardly.

  
“Oh yeah?” she asked, swinging her bag around her shoulders and throwing on a light sweater. She looked him directly in the eyes. Aro inwardly groaned…she was _angry_ with him. “Well, you saw me.” Ramona then proceeded to storm off, forgetting to take off her tutu in a fit of anger, walking out the studio door. Aro cursed and ran after the girl, following her down the stairs and out into the cool New York air. She continued walking at a pretty fast speed for a human, and Aro had to give her credit, she was quite speedy when she needed to be.

  
“Ramona wait—” he called after her, easily catching up. The girl sighed loudly, but made no other move to signal she was paying attention. “Let me apologize—”

  
“Apologize _for what_ ,” she spun around suddenly, catching him off guard and he had to stop himself from falling on top of her. She crossed her arms, glaring up at him, “What are you _apologizing_ for? And how—how’d you even find my ballet studio? Why are you even here?”

Aro racked his brain for a good excuse. “I am on my way to Washington to see Carlisle. I wanted to stop by and see you first,” he tried to explain. He felt as if he were failing miserably however, as the girl’s expression appeared no more friendly, “Finding the ballet studio was easy enough once I figured out your company’s usual venue.”

“Well, good for you, Aro,” she answered. Ramona gave him another glance, as if debating her next decision. The vampire suddenly realized he should’ve made an attempt to grab her arm, wanting to know what she was thinking. She huffed, seemingly making a decision. “Go to Washington, Aro.”

“Please—” he grabbed her arm, and she jerked back at his response. Her mind was a swirling mess of anger and disappointment. Ramona was upset that he never bothered to call her in the months he had been away, believing him to have _ghosted_ her, whatever _that_ meant. She believed him to have used her as a fun distraction for the night of the wedding _(not altogether wrong)_ , and that he never had any real interest in her. She categorically added him to the list of suitors who had disappointed her, but he was at the top of her ‘shit list’, because he had made her feel as if she had a chance at actual happiness. “Do not run away from me again.”

  
She swallowed but said nothing, clearly remembering their last discussion. She had run away from him when upset before, not giving him a chance to explain himself. It seemed his little runaway had a pattern. 

Aro sighed, “Cara mia, you _must_ know, I didn’t mean to upset you. Things came up…,” he answered pathetically, to which she glared, “but I never meant to make you feel as if I was not interested.”

  
“Oh yes, I remember,” she taunted, rolling her eyes and inflecting her voice to take upon a poorly executed Italian accent, “ _Non sono indifferente a te._ ”

The vampire smirked. The girl was still being hostile, but he took the fact that she was starting to tease him as a good sign. He continued. “È vero,” his eyes trailed down her body hungrily before landing upon her white tutu. Aro gave it a playful little tug, testing her reaction. It was enough; he saw a small, flirty smile grace her lips before twisting into a scowl. “Ramona, I wouldn’t have come all this way if I wasn’t interested in you.”

Ramona didn’t answer for a minute, contemplating him. Finally, she gave him an answer he could deal with. “Well…I can’t go out to a bar or anything, I’m gross from rehearsals,” she considered him, “I mean, I guess you can come back to my apartment, if you want…for, like, a coffee or something—” she finished awkwardly. 

Aro nodded, trying not to appear _too_ enthusiastic, “That sounds good to me.”

The two of them made their way through the crowded streets of New York, her small apartment within walking distance from the ballet studio. He followed her up the stairs onto the fourth floor, noting curiously that she chose not to use the elevator despite being tired from dancing. She opened the door to a rather small apartment, with a kitchenette area, one bathroom, a small space for a couch and television, and her bed in the corner. An orange cat greeted them at the door, a small bell jingling on its collar as it made its way toward them. Aro looked at the animal, unimpressed; the cat responded similarly with a hiss.

Ramona threw her bag on the floor. “Well, this is home,” she said awkwardly, gesturing to the small space. “Make yourself comfortable. I’m just going to freshen up real quick.”

  
“Of course.” Aro responded, taking a seat on her living room couch, watching her silently as she grabbed some clean clothes and headed into the bathroom. The sound of running water filled the space and Aro growled softly, his imagination filling in the picture of what was going on behind that door. _It would only be too easy_ , he thought to himself. The girl was naked and vulnerable, and they were all alone…nobody to interrupt them this time.

  
Aro jerked a bit in surprise as the cat jumped onto the couch beside him, only to hiss at him some more. Annoyed, he let out a vicious snarl at the creature, which howled in response and bolted across the room to hide under the bed. Aro chuckled a bit to himself.

  
“Everything okay out there?” her voice shouted from the bathroom. He briefly wondered if she heard him.

  
“Everything is _bellissimo_ , darling,” he responded, getting up from the couch and walking around her apartment. He peered around the space, taking notice of how her personality shone throughout her living quarters. Modern style paintings adorned the walls and an old record player sat in the corner, a collection of records sitting next to it waiting to be played. He looked through her records, finding one that he liked and played it, allowing the music to flow through the space and hopefully charm her out sooner.

  
Aro walked to her kitchenette, and looked in her cabinets for a can or bag of coffee, figuring he would make it for her while she was in the shower. He had no such luck, only finding small little circular containers that supposedly had coffee in it. “ _What’s a keurig?”_ , the vampire wondered, as he stared at them in confusion before giving up, going into her refrigerator, and grabbing a bottle of wine. He poured them each a glass and eagerly awaited for the female to return, nerves bubbling in his chest in anticipation for the night to continue. 

* * *

The shower water was burning hot but Ramona barely paid attention to it, her mind constantly wandering to the attractive Italian male who was awaiting her outside of the bathroom _in her home_.

  
She brought him _home_ with her. Not that he was the first man that she had brought home with her, but she certainly didn’t make a habit of it. And this man she really barely knew, only having met him at her sister’s wedding months before. But then again, things had gotten hot and heavy between them…she remembered his mouth on hers in the back of the car, _grinding_ his body up against hers, the feel of his erection rubbing against her leg—

Ramona bit her lip and turned the faucet, hoping that cold water could clear her mind and calm herself down. However, after she cleaned her body with some particularly nice smelling body wash, she found herself being more meticulous than usual with her shaving regimen. 

As she was drying off and changing into a comfortable pair of pajama shorts and a camisole, the familiar tune of The Beatles echoed in her apartment and she flushed, realizing that Aro must have turned on her record player. _Bright are the stars that shine, dark is the sky_ …Ramona’s stomach jumped and flipped, and she took a deep breath, trying to ground herself before she left the comfortable space of the bathroom.

Aro was waiting for her in the kitchenette, leaning against the island as he slowly poured red wine into two stemless wine glasses. His eyes met hers and they brightened in excitement, which slowly darkened as his gaze traveled down her body. Ramona suddenly felt too exposed, feeling silly that she didn’t decide on wearing pants or a sweatshirt. _Don’t be a coward_ , she lectured herself, as she sauntered over to the island. Aro gave her a small smirk before handing her one of the glasses with one hand, as his other hand slowly made its way to resting against her lower back. He clinked his own glass with hers, “Saluti” he toasted, and she joined him, taking a small sip of the wine and hoping it would build her confidence.

  
“I thought we were going to have coffee?” she said playfully, enjoying the way he was beginning to gently rub her lower back. Aro gave her a sheepish expression.  
  
  
“I couldn’t find your coffee, carina,” he answered. He gave her a small chuckle, deep and attractive and melting her to the core, “I must admit I am lost in the kitchen.”

Ramona glanced over to the k-cups that were sitting right in view next to her keurig machine, but said nothing. Reading her mind, his gaze immediately followed hers and he gave a soft ‘aha’ sound. He appeared amused, but not dissuaded.

“Come with me, carina, I want to hear all about your ballet,” Aro murmured in her ear, before slowly guiding her towards and onto the couch. They both sat their wine glasses on the end table, to be left untouched. They were turned towards each other; Aro’s body relaxed, comfortable as he laid back against the couch, his arm dangling lazily over the back of the sofa. Ramona’s legs were tucked up, pressed close to her chest.

  
They talked for a while about the part, about how Ramona had successfully gotten the understudy and about how the director had been driving her harder and harder the past couple days. At some point during their conversation, Aro began caressing her leg, which slowly evolved into her laying her legs over his lap as he insisted on rubbing out her sore, overworked muscles. She sighed, relaxing into the couch cushions as his diligent hands stretched her leg muscles, enjoying his touch.  
  
  
“ _That_ is part of what is so alluring to Siegfried about the black swan…Odile is less controlled. Imprecise, of course, but gorgeous. The evil twin, _the darker_ nature,” Aro purred, as his fingers travelled up from massaging her calves, to the sides of her legs. Ramona swallowed, as his thumb started rubbing circles against her skin. “It’s an evil force, pulling him that he can’t escape from.”

“It’s tragic….Siegfried loves Odette,” Ramona whispered, entranced by the male in front of her. Aro gives her a small smirk, his gaze flickering down.

  
“Ah yes, he does love his _sweet_ , _pure_ Odette,” he agrees. His eyes flicker up to hers, glimmering. Taunting. “But he _wants_ Odile.” He sniffs thoughtfully, and looks at her as if considering something. “I am still surprised that your production director cast you.”

  
She immediately frowned, put off, “What—why?” she asked, “I’ve…I’ve worked harder for it than anybody there. I know the dance, you even said I’d be perfect for the part—”

“Oh _Ramona_ ,” Aro cooed, “I said that you would be perfect for the _white_ swan. You haven’t quite convinced me you could embody Odile, and if your rehearsal today is anything to go by—”

  
“My rehearsal today was going _just fine_ , thank you very much,” she bit back, becoming increasingly irritated by the direction of the conversation. “And apparently, my director sees something in me because he picked me for the part. I can be the black swan.”

Hands glided from the sides of her legs, up towards her thighs, fingers edging along the bottom of her shorts. Ramona felt warm, unbearably so, her heart pounding in her chest, her throat becoming dry. “The black swan is a _magnetic_ force, mia carina…she isn’t _afraid_ . She doesn’t run away. She seduces the prince, because it is within her _power_ to do so.”

Ramona blinked, trying to focus but finding it nearly impossible as he continued his ministrations on her thigh. “I can do that,” she managed, swallowing, “I can seduce the prince.”

  
Within seconds, the handsome Italian was on top of her, crushing her smaller body against his and capturing her lips. She moaned into his mouth, becoming lost in the _wet, deep heat_ between them, his tongue forcing its way inside her. Sheer, naked desire was beginning to shake her core, her body begging for _more_ and she arched up against him, hot liquid pooling down to her groin.

Aro hummed in response, gratified. “Mia carina, this is _me_ seducing _you.”_

_Relinquish control._ It was his one command, and it was the one that played over and over in her mind. She stared at him, watching him as he considered her silently, his body still pressed up against hers and hands gently massaging her thighs. Ramona swallowed and leaned forward, pushing him against the couch. He allowed it, leaning back as she straddled him, encapturing him between her thighs. Aro stared up at her curiously, and she pressed her body against his, her pelvis rubbing against his own and she kissed him this time. He groaned in approval, his hips bucking up against her. They kissed for several minutes, and Ramona was becoming lost in it until he felt the gentle touch of a thumb stroke against her clit, over the shorts.

  
She broke the kiss suddenly, breathless. Her eyes heavy with desire, and his awaiting her next words. She swallowed, “Bring me over to the bed.” she commanded. Aro said nothing and hoisted her up, allowing her legs to wrap around him. As they got closer to the bed, she felt braver, whispering in his ear, “Lay yourself down, with me on top.”

  
He did just that, and she peered down at him, still straddling his waist, pleased at the feeling of his erection under his trousers against her bare thigh. Aro just _watched_ her. Ramona removed her camisole, naked underneath. She worked on unbuttoning his shirt and trousers, removing his belt and throwing it to the side. Soon enough he was completely naked, with Ramona on top in nothing but a pair of pajama shorts.

  
“Take my shorts off,” she breathed. She watched with interest as he carefully slid her shorts all the way down, before coming back up and letting his fingers dance over her thong. Silently and without permission, she watched as he grabbed the bottom of the thong and slid it slightly to the side, revealing her to him. Aro looked at her hungrily, before finally uttering, “Keep it on.”

  
 _Fuck_ , she thought, as she felt herself melt in his arms like putty. She took a deep breath, attempting to gain back control. “Finger me,” she demanded. Aro growled in response; it was a total power play and he knew it.

And he grabbed her hip with one hand and sank two fingers deep in her cunt, and she cried and arched in response. It had been easy, as she was already _dripping_ wet, creating a deliciously vulgar sound. Ramona was whining, his fingers steadily hitting that _perfect, heavenly_ spot, over and over again until she was sweating, her hips arching with every manipulation of her body. Aro finger fucked her for a few minutes, watching in fascination at the wanton display above him. He picked up the pace, his fingers pounding into her mercilessly and Ramona felt herself beginning to tighten, shock waves burning her core and spreading along the muscles in her pelvis. She grabbed onto his thighs to steady herself.

  
“—I-I’m gonna cum,” she breathed, her chest constricting and barely able to take in any air because she was panting so hard, “—Oh, fuck, I’m g-gonna cum—I—”

  
A growl rumbled low in encouragement, and his fingers curled, pressing up hard against her inner core and she came apart, her body erupting in searing hot ecstacy. Her brain lost all functioning as a gentle kiss pressed against her clit, and she managed to open her eyes to look down and see him staring up at her intently, his mouth on her. Ramona stifled a sob as he took a second to softly suck on her throbbing, pulsing clit, drawing every last ounce of willpower out of her. Her hands wound their way into his hair, clenching his head closer to her body and crying as his tongue swirled gentle circles inside of her.

  
Ramona was lost as his mouth suddenly left her, and she could barely register what was happening as he began to slowly spread her legs further apart, gently moving her body back to position itself onto his lap. Aro thrusted himself up inside her and she whined at the sensation, feeling herself completely filled with his cock. He _slaaamed_ her body down on him, no longer allowing her even the _pretense_ of her ever being in control, and he tightened his grasp on her hips, likely bruising them in the process.

  
Unable to hold back any longer, the man flipped her over and pushed her into the mattress, practically knocking the breath out of her. Aro buried himself inside her over and over again, and Ramona gave another loud moan as he adjusted his angle just so slightly. Encouraged, he rewarded her by pounding her brutally into the mattress with an even greater force. She felt as if she were leaving her own body, her cunt tightening to an unbearable level and she knew she didn’t have much longer to go before she was spent again.

  
As if in a haze, she heard an animalistic growl roar above her, and he got a few more good thrusts in before her cunt exploded, hot and wet around his cock, her legs _flexxxxing_ and spasming. She’s lost in his eyes as she watches him snarl in pleasure, the sheer tightness too much and he’s lost to it too, grinding his cock one more time inside her. The heat makes her vision blur, but she can see him _shuddering_ violently as he unloaded himself inside her, throbbing. Ramona closes her eyes, basking in the sensation and allowing herself to begin to relax into the sheets, completely tired and exhausted from her long night.

She was still awake, but barely so, and was only able to register him abruptly pulling away from her, feeling his body shift as if haphazardly reaching down along the bed, and hearing a strange cracking noise. Blindly, she reached out to him, and after a few moments passed, was able to pull him close to her. She fell asleep, and for the first time in a long time, it is dreamless. 

* * *

**Italian Translations:**

**È vero. - It is true.**

**Carina - a more diminutive term for dear/darling (more cutesy form of cara, for someone smaller/cute)  
(I guess I'm having him switch off between calling her cara (dear) and carina, but I think I like him saying carina better, she's a LOT younger than him and I imagine he's a bit patronizing) **

* * *

**SO....WHAT DID YOU THINK?! LMAO. Was that too fast for them? Idk lol I debated wondering if it was too fast but then I realized I didn't care lol Also what was that strange cracking sound?!? bwahaha...**


	8. Repercussions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY MONDAY!
> 
> I was very excited to post this chapter today. I had a long, busy weekend (I started picking up shifts at one of my side jobs and I ended up working 7:30AM-11PM yesterday), but I got through it!! I even managed to write a bit at work yesterday (writing with pen on paper destroyed my hand but it was worth it because now chapter 10 is almost done). 
> 
> So here's some follow up to that very smutty chapter I made. Hope you enjoy! I love you all, I don't think you know how much writing this fanfiction means to me right now.

* * *

The warmth of the girl’s body was hard to withdraw from, and Aro had to force himself out of her bed. He realized that he had already stayed there for hours, holding her small, warm body against his, listening to her snore lightly against him. The delicate rise and fall of her naked chest captured his attention the most, and he stared as her breasts heaved up and down in a steady, gentle rhythm with each breath. He was mesmerized; it had been so long since he had seen naked breasts move like that…his own wife not needing to breathe, her chest lacking the beating heart that pumped so  _ exquisitely  _ under Ramona’s perfect breasts. 

  
Aro’s forced his gaze away from the sleeping human onto the much less appealing sight on the floor, and he grimaced. He felt a _bit_ guilty, but he was thankful to whatever divine being there was that Ramona had not noticed and fell asleep immediately after their coupling. With a large sigh, Aro removed himself from her warm body and stood up, staring at the mess he created on the floor of her apartment. 

  
The cat’s discarded corpse laid about 4 feet away from him, all of its blood drawn out of it and laying wretchedly for him to clean up. Aro hadn’t even _meant_ to kill the damned beast. 

  
It had become too much for Aro towards the end; the girl’s **_blazing heat_** made him feel like he was catching fire, and _fuck_ if she wasn’t _devastatingly_ tight. He became retchedly debased, losing all control and letting his inner demon rampage the girl’s body until he reached his climax. 

  
But it wanted _more_ , and his throat was raging angrily, burning and demanding to be fed, and it was all he could do to not take her then and there, and drain her lovely neck. Fortunately for the both of them, the vampire’s advanced hearing caught the sound of a bell quickly chiming near the foot of the bed. Aro immediately moved off of the girl, grabbing the cat and snapping its neck, moaning deliriously as he drained each and every drop of blood from its body. He tossed it immediately across the floor, not caring where it went, and crawled back into bed and into the embrace of the sleeping human.

  
Aro just hoped that the pathetic creature wouldn’t immediately turn his eyes gold. That was the last thing he needed as he left to join the Volturi to see the Cullens.  


  
The clock had read 4AM in large, red numbers, and the girl wouldn’t be up for hours. He treaded silently over to the kitchen and grabbed a trash bag from one of the cabinets. He proceeded to stuff the cat’s carcass into the bag, dropping it carelessly with a heavy thud and twisting the top into a knot. He then put his clothes back on, smirking as he zipped up his pants with a satisfied pull, as he thought about how _well_ his night had gone. 

  
Aro realized he needed to hurry up, as he had an eight hour flight ahead of him to Washington and the plan was to deal with the Cullens before it had gotten dark. He found some stationary on her desk and scrawled her a quick note. Aro sighed, it wasn’t enough, but it would have to do. He had only hoped she wasn’t _too_ upset with him when she woke up without him. _My piccola ballerina sure can hold a grudge,_ he thought to himself, amused.

The vampire walked over to the bed where the sleeping human lay peacefully, completely ignorant to the world around her and to the devil she had let inside her bed. The girl was innocent to him, having no idea what malicious purposes he had previously designed for her. She gave a small sigh in her sleep, curling her body up a little more and snuggling into the sheets. He knelt down next to the bed, running his fingers through her curls, lost in thought. 

  
Aro frowned, thinking back on how he had meant to use her as a threat against the Cullens if they didn’t fall in line. That he would kill her, if needed. But…if all had gone _well_ today, then….he wouldn’t _need_ to use her against them. Minutes passed as Aro continued to stare at her sleeping form, the trash bag next to him lying forgotten as what he could only imagine as his conscience began to catch up to him, beating on him like a drum. That flame that ignited within him, the flame that he was lost on how to keep kindled…the emotionless love making of his wife that was unable to keep that fire blazing…

  
A single act of intimacy with Ramona felt like a barrel of gasoline being doused upon him.

He didn’t  _ want _ to kill her. 

  
In fact, Aro suddenly decided that he didn’t want _anything_ bad to happen to the girl, ife he could help it. _It’s not Ramona’s fault if her sister’s new family broke the law_ , he reasoned. And the girl had a life after all…she was in the prime of her life, to tear her away from it would be unreasonably cruel. As Aro realized the time was drawing closer and closer to when he needed to leave, he knew that he wanted very much to _not_ have to kill the coven. But those golden eyed anomalies better have had a _very good reason_ as to why they had an immortal child in their mist. 

He gave Ramona a kiss on the forehead, leaving her slumbering peacefully and walked out the door, trash bag in tow. As he left the apartment building in the dead of the night, he was immediately greeted by Demetri, who was patiently waiting for him outside the door. The young vampire gave the trash bag in his hand an odd look.  Aro ignored him, before tossing it into one of the nearby trash cans. 

  
“I believe you remember that discretion is key,” Aro said, raising an eyebrow. 

  
“Yes master,” he nodded. Aro was suddenly very pleased that he decided to entrust Demetri with this secret, knowing that the vampire had a good sense of loyalty to him. Enough loyalty not to tell Caius the details regarding this little trip either. _And_ enough loyalty not to utter the unspoken matter of the _obvious_ human female scent that was all over him, the smell of his own seed, or of the feline carcass that he threw in the garbage.

* * *

The comforter and bed sheets seemed just a bit warmer and a bit heavier that morning, and Ramona snuggled herself into the bed, perfectly comfortable and content. The alarm on her cell phone began going off, signaling her to wake up. Ramona groaned, not feeling like getting up, her body conspiring against her, crying against moving and willing her to soak back into the mattress. She rubbed at her eyes and sighed, slowly getting up and looking around her small studio apartment. Ramona paused, confused as to why she had slept practically naked, until memories from the night before flooded back into her all at once. She blushed wildly, remembering suddenly how she invited Aro into her apartment last night and things took  _ quite _ a turn. She smiled to herself, before realizing that her partner in crime was nowhere to be seen.

  
Self-doubt and loneliness began to sting at her heart when she realized that she woke up alone, the man from the night before gone without a trace. His clothes were missing, the only thing that remained from him the tell-tale indent of a larger body next to hers on her pillow. Her gaze finally landed upon a note on the kitchen island. Encouraged and slightly hopeful, her bare feet scurried across the cold floor to the island and snatched it. 

_ Ramona, _

_I do not doubt that you woke up and were disappointed to not see me lying next to you in the morning. I wish I could have stayed longer, but I had to leave very early to make the flight to Washington. I want you to know that I very much enjoyed our time together last night, and that I am looking forward to spending many more nights like that with you in the future. I hope you had a good, long sleep and woke up nice and rested, mia carina. If I do not see you, good luck on your first performance. You make a breathtaking black swan._ _  
__  
_ _Yours, Aro._

_ If you need to call me, my number is : +39-0588-375-6968. _

Ramona’s heart burst in happiness as she stared at the phone number scrawled at the bottom of the note, a promise that he was interested in continuing on…well,  _ whatever _ this was with her. Her heart thumped wildly, as she reread the note;  _ yours _ , he wrote. She gave another squeal, before squinting and realizing that she didn’t finish the note yet. Another message was written at the bottom.

_ Un’altra cosa - I’m not sure how to say this, mia cara, but your cat escaped when I opened the door this morning. I attempted to run after it, but I was unable to catch it and I’m afraid I lost track of it. I feel terrible, carina. Please let me know how I can make it up to you. _

Her cat? She hadn’t realized that the cat was missing, but the small apartment was a lot quieter without the jingling bell of the cat ringing as it jumped all over her furniture. She had the little orange feline for about four years, adopting it from a local shelter when she first moved to New York City on her own and knew nobody. It was a constant companion to her. It had lived through many boyfriends and breakups. And she quite enjoyed the idea that even if she never found anyone, she could always thrive as a cat owning spinster. 

Aro hadn’t  _ meant  _ to let her out, she reasoned, deciding to forgive the man despite her frustration with losing the cat. She grabbed her cellphone and added his number to her contact list. She bit her lip, wondering if it was too soon to send him a text. Feeling brave and a bit flirtatious, she began texting him, her thumbs clicking against the screen in excitement.

**/ Good Morning! Just got your note. You’re forgiven for taking away my cat from me. 😜 /**

She grinned, hoping that her tone in the text came across as teasing, as she wasn’t even that angry with the man. Feeling in a  _ very _ good mood, she sauntered her way into the shower, starting daily routines as she realized that she needed to head over to the studio in a few hours. 

  
Her body felt more sore than usual, and she checked herself out in the mirror, surprised to see two rather large bruises beginning to form on both sides of her hips. _Well he went to town_ , she thought, her fingers running along the bruises and wincing a bit in pain. She bit back a grin though, secretly enjoying the bruises; they were evidence of Aro being there, being _with her_. 

As she made her way towards the studio, grabbing a tall, nonfat soy latte from Starbucks, her cell phone vibrated, and she opened the text from Aro.

**/ That is not the only pussy I stole from you last night. /**

Ramona made a choking sound, her face turning flush as she couldn’t believe he just texted her that. Another buzzing sound brought her attention back to her phone.

  
**/ I will be quite busy for the rest of the day. Good luck with your rehearsals, tesoro. /**

Such a simple text shouldn’t have made that much of a difference to her day, but somehow they  _ did _ , his simple, sweet words filling her with a light weightlessness that helped keep her on her toes for the rest of the day. Choreography came second nature to her that day.

* * *

The Volturi’s private jet was an impressive state of machinery, but like all human inventions fallible and prone to error. Demetri and Aro were forced to make a pit stop in some random airport in Omaha, delaying their arrival by over a day. To add insult to injury, Aro and Demetri had to sit and wait in that godforsaken airport for hours while humans attempted to fix whatever was wrong with the blasted hunk of metal. 

While the two vampires were exasperatedly waiting in the airport, a quiet beeping sound rang on Aro’s person, and he frowned confused, searching for the foreign sound. Demetri raised an eyebrow, looking at his companion in amusement.

  
“I believe that is your new cell phone, Master Aro,” he told him. Aro blinked, trying to recall what the boy was talking about, before remembering that he had recently had one of his guards purchase him a cellular device. He thought it would be a good investment, especially if he considered continuing to see Ramona. And since spending the night with the sleeping girl in his arms, he was feeling more and more certain that is what he wanted.

  
He grabbed the cellphone and, with the assistance of Demetri, was able to read the text message that was sent from an unknown number. 

**/ Good Morning! Just got your note. You’re forgiven for taking away my cat from me. 😜/**

_ Ramona _ , he thought. He felt an immediate relief that the girl had said that he was forgiven about the cat debacle. Although Aro frowned in confusion at the odd smiley face icon that accompanied the text… _ why was she sticking her tongue out at him _ ? Was she upset about it after all? If it had been real life he would have  _ bit _ that little tongue in response. Demetri, who was nonchalantly looking over his shoulder to read the text, seemed to have sensed his master’s confusion. He took his master’s hand in his, letting him read his mind and knowledge of current internet slang and culture.

  
Aro sighed, looking at his younger guard in reassurance, “She’s being _playful_ , then.”

“I believe so, Master.” Demetri shifted awkwardly, hoping that he wasn’t crossing any unsaid boundaries, “If I may be so  _ bold _ , sir, that is when someone would respond with a text of likewise, er…playfulness.”

Aro’s expression turned dark at the younger vampire, a warning signal that the guard was  _ very close _ to crossing the line. Demetri shifted and looked away, getting the message very clearly and scared to push his master any further. Aro was pleased though, and he smirked devilishly as he proceeded to send the girl a text message that was  _ sure  _ to get her attention. 

“ _ By the way _ , my dear Demetri,” Aro’s voice cut through the silence, a foreboding and sinister edge to his tone that served as a reminder to the other vampire about  _ whom  _ of the two of them was in charge, “I take it that you took care of that small favor I asked of you?”

Realization crept up on the guard’s face and he smirked as he recalled the events from his  _ own _ night in New York City, and how pleasurable his night turned out to be. “Yes, Master Aro.”

Aro hummed, “ _ Good _ .”

To the vampires’ surprise, the humans did not take as long with fixing the jet as he was concerned that they would, and they were able to get back into the air and fly to Washington without problem. Neither one spoke another word about their impromptu trip to the city, and Aro was not looking forward to getting an earful from that ramped up blond brother of his about them delaying the trial.

  
When they finally reached the small city of Forks, Washington, it was made clear to Aro that they would be meeting with the American coven in the middle of large clearing in a nearby forest by their home. The vampire king wanted to scoff at the _theatrics_ of such a location, but realized it was probably for the best as they had brought forth most of the Volturi coven as well as some witnesses, and it would be otherwise impossible to fit everyone in the Cullen residence. 

  
The entire Volturi guard, the three kings, and the witnesses went forth through the forest, forming a single, tight formation of law and justice. Aro ignored the dirty looks that were sent his way from his brother Caius, with his near silent whispering of _“Where on_ ** _earth_** _were you?”_ , and focused on the scene in front of him. The Cullen family were there, but there were others…a rag tag collection of nomads, smaller covens, and… _were those werewolves?_ Aro glanced curiously at the great wolf-like beasts, never having seen Children of the Moon in broad daylight, amiss a full moon. 

  
The trial went _far_ differently than he had expected, but in the end, Aro was overall secretly pleased with the results; they hadn’t _had_ to destroy the coven after all. He didn’t even have to come up with an excuse on his own, the truth being far more interesting and liberating than any lie he could have come up with. Of course, Caius would be sulking about it for months, but he would just have to get over it. The child wasn’t an immortal child after all; it was something entirely and wonderfully _new._ Something new that Aro was very, _very_ interested in. 

  
Aro reflected on the hybrid child for a while after the incident. His plans changed. 

* * *

It was the night of the debut of the New York City Ballet Company’s production of Swan Lake, and Ramona was overflowing with excitement. Although it was likely that she wouldn’t be dancing the lead role and would be in the corps, she always looked forward to an opening night. The dancers, all nervous and anxious and eager to  _ finally _ take the stage…the audience, all abuzz and waiting to see the performance that’s been in the works for months. It was also the single best night of the production, in her opinion; no other night could compare to opening night.

  
She was backstage in the dressing room, throwing on one of outfits for the flock of swans, when Derrick ran into her, knocking excitedly on her door. 

  
“Ramona, you’re up tonight!” he said, practically knocking the wind out of her in his flurry. She blinked, her mouth agape, willing her brain to catch up with the words that he was saying. She shook her head, realizing that she must have heard him wrong.

  
“W-What about Angelina?” she asked, “No…no, it’s opening night, prima ballerina _always_ performs on opening night. There must be a mistak—”

“No mistake, Ramona. Truth is we haven’t heard from Angelina at all the past two days. She hasn’t shown up tonight, either, you’re all we have. Get in costume for the White Swan and let’s go, we start in 20 minutes.” The director left no room for further discussion, and left her in the dressing room, completely and utterly shocked.

_ They hadn’t heard from her in  _ **_days_ ** _? _ That was most peculiar. Why would Angelina not be ready for the biggest night in the entire production? Where would she have gone, and  _ why _ ? Why give up everything that she worked so hard for, the principal role of the entire ballet? 

  
Ramona didn’t have time to process the information or even really reflect on it, because she had to quickly change and redo her hair and makeup before going on stage. It was a whirlwind; other girls flocking around her wishing her good luck, her director picking her apart, her choreographer quizzing her on everything, making sure she was ready. 

Twenty minutes felt like ten seconds, because before she knew it, Ramona was making her way onto the stage, into the opening scene where the evil Rothbart adds the innocent Odette into his collection of swans. 

A monster, taking the princess, who was ignorant to his darkness and deviance, and  _ transforming  _ her against her will. 

The performance was a rush of energy to Ramona, and she found herself playing the dual roles of Odette and Odile like she was born to play the parts. Her dance as the White Swan was flawless, displaying the artistic and athletic prowess she worked so hard for the past several years. And for the very first time, the Black Swan came naturally to her; it was as if something was  _ awakened  _ deep within her, some deep, primal part of herself that had laid dormant all this time. There was no hesitancy, no  _ fear _ . She let herself lose control, relinquishing it, and fluttered across the stage as a bird being let loose from its cage for the first time. It was perfect;  _ she _ was perfect.   


The applause from the audience was deafening, and Ramona felt as if she was going to faint as she took her final bow. But the millions of hugs and kisses and handshakes that overwhelmed her kept her afloat, as well as the praise that her director had sung to her. After declining about a dozen requests to go out to celebrate, and having bouquets of roses thrown at her backstage, she finally made her way to the dressing room. She closed the door, drowning out all the craziness and took a good look at herself in the mirror.

_ I did it _ , she thought, and a huge smile broke out upon her face. Ramona grabbed her bag and found her cellphone, excited to tell her friends and family what had happened that night. As she looked through her contact list, the gaze stopped at the name at the top of the alphabetical list, and she bit her lip. Unable to contain herself, she texted Aro, wanting to share her good news with the person whom she was beginning to admire more than anyone.  
  


  
**/ I did it. I performed the White and Black Swan tonight. /**

Her hands shook as she typed out the next text, all nerves being released from her body. 

**/ And I** **_nailed_ ** **it. /**

* * *

**Italian Translations:**

**piccola _-_ small**

**Un’altra cosa - One other thing**

**tesoro - another term of endearment. the literal translation is "treasure".**

* * *

**I want you all to know...I actually LIKE cats. But this one had to go.**


	9. A Good Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday everyone!! 
> 
> I wanted to post this chapter yesterday but I never got around to it, but I'm actually glad because last night I added a few small things to this chapter and I think it's better now. My mind was like- "Oh, I can't believe I forgot to put this in the chapter, what is wrong with me" and so I did, and now it's better. 
> 
> Also - I hope the timeline isn't confusing for all of you. I don't know why I care that much, because I'm certain that probably nobody else does, but for some reason I got really crazy about it last night, and went so far as to print out a December calendar sheet and mark off what chapters happen on what days lol If you want this, I can always post it. But I guess what is important to know is that it's a bit off from Breaking Dawn Part 2. In BD, the trial happens AFTER Christmas (around New Years). I wanted this to occur before Christmas and New Years because I wanted to incorporate those holidays into my story, so just realize that the trial happened in the beginning of December instead. Not that it really even matters lol

* * *

It had not been an easy task to undertake to convince his brothers that he wanted to fly back separately from Washington to Volterra, but Aro managed it and once again he and Demetri were flying separately from the rest of the guard. He briefly considered having Felix or Renata join him on this trip for extra safety precautions, but decided ultimately that the less who knew, the better. The two vampires would be making one final pit stop in New York before heading back across the ocean to their castle. And once Aro was back in Volterra, he could begin his preparations. 

  
The jet hadn’t reached the John F. Kennedy airport until far later than he would have desired, not landing until near midnight. He had hoped that the girl would be awake, but he supposed that he could still see her one more time if she was sleeping. _Besides,_ he thought wickedly, imaging his little ballerina slumbering peacefully in her bed, _it could be just as fun waking her up._

  
As it happened, he didn’t have to wake her up, as the dark haired beauty was awake. He found her apartment again easily enough, and left Demetri to his own devices, as he climbed into the small studio through her window. Although Aro was rather baffled _why_ the girl left her window open in the middle of a cold December night, but he could hardly complain of good coincidences.

  
He took a quick glance around her apartment, only having been there a few nights before. The vampire could still practically smell himself in her apartment, which sent a wave of delicious pleasure down to his groin. The girl was so very, _very_ ** _his_**. 

  
A lovely bouquet of red roses sat on her kitchen island. A trophy for a victorious performance, he surmised. A trophy that _he_ gave to her. Though she did not realize.

It had been only so easy for Demetri to find the principal dancer that night they were in New York City…and how could he prevent his young, eager guard from participating in his  _ own _ recreational activities with a beautiful ballerina?

  
Demetri had much different _tastes_ in store for her than Aro did for Ramona, _regretfully._

Aro heard her humming lightly from the bathroom, completely ignorant to him coming into her home. He felt immediately concerned at how easily  _ any _ predator could have entered her space without her knowledge, but he pushed that aside as he focused on the lovely creature currently only a mere distance from him, practically within arms reach. 

  
Drawing courage, Aro sauntered over to the bathroom door and pushed it open, revealing a scantily clad Ramona, who jumped in response and stared at him in shock, her mouth agape. He suppressed a groan, trying not to focus on flush of the girl’s skin, on her thighs that were bare and inviting, on the white toothpaste slurry that was currently dripping onto her lips as she clenched her toothbrush in shock. His primal urges were screaming at him to take her, and he wanted nothing more than to feel her hot body against his, savour her wet mouth, run his fingers through her dark curls…

  
“ _What_ are you doing here?” her shocked voice distracted him, as she stared at him with a wondrous mixture of fear, surprise, and desire. Her pupils were dilated, and Aro suddenly felt justified as he smelt her arousal. He took a confident step forward.

  
“I had to see you again,” he answered, observing her like a hawk observed a mouse, a predator waiting to pounce. She shook her head as if to get some clarity, before turning away from him and spitting the rest of her toothpaste in the sink. Ramona back at him through the mirror, frowning at him but not altogether distrustful. 

  
“How did you get in here?” she asked. 

  
The lie passed through his lips as easy as butter, “Your door was wide open, cara mia.”

The expression on her face was one of incredulity, “ _ It was _ ?”

Aro could tell that she didn’t fully believe him, but was willing to take his answer as truth anyway, because she had wanted an answer that made sense. He took advantage of that, and pressed up behind her, letting her feel  _ every inch _ of him, his member hardening against her thigh. They were looking at each other through the reflection of the mirror, and Aro humorously thanked whatever divine being that the nonsensical myth of vampires not being able to see their own reflections was false. He was enjoying himself  _ far, far too much. _

_  
_ And he had every intention of getting what he wanted. 

* * *

Thunderous applause echoed in Ramona’s brain as she left the opera house that night, drowning her head of all thoughts as she laid silently in the back of the Uber, willing the car to drive as quickly to her apartment as possible. 

  
It was the third night in a row that she had danced the lead, Angelina never showing up or calling the company, seemingly having disappeared from existence. As if it wasn’t chaotic enough jumping in as lead unexpectedly, now there were whispers of what could have happened to the prima ballerina, if foul play was involved. News reporters had desperately attempted to make their way backstage, and Ramona had done her best to try to avoid them if possible. She had no idea what happened to the prima ballerina, and thinking about the horrible things that could’ve happened was causing her more stress than she needed at this time. She needed to be on her A-game if she was going to be the face of the company’s production of Swan Lake. 

Her small, lonely studio was a welcome change from the opera house swarming with thousands of patrons. She took a shower and changed into a pink satin chemise, wanting to feel as light and comfortable as possible after performing for the night. She blow dried her hair and began brushing her teeth, getting ready for bed and a good night’s sleep. She didn’t have any performances for the next four days, and she was going to take advantage of every minute of downtime. 

  
A knock on the door behind her startled her out of her thoughts, and her heart _lurchedddd_ , as she jumped back in surprise, startled by the presence of her Italian beau in the doorframe. Ramona almost choked on her toothpaste in astonishment. _What the fuck is he doing here,_ she wondered. She laid a hand to her heart, pressing down and willing the organ to stop pounding so she could focus on her unexpected visitor.

  
“ _What_ are you doing here?” she managed to get out. She wasn’t unhappy to see him in her apartment, in fact she was very pleased; but _how_ Aro got in was another story entirely, and her mind started to rattle off random scenarios in which he could have entered. Did he break down her door? Did he take one of her spare keys when she wasn’t paying attention? Each scenario became more and more bizarre as she attempted to justify his presence in her apartment. 

The man in question was staring her down, his gaze unwavering and dark with desire, and she gulped, trying to push down her own desire. The last time she saw the man, he was on top of her in the throes of passion, pleasuring her in a way that she hadn’t felt before in her entire life. He took a step forward, smirking at her all the while and she felt her guard slip, regardless of her internal trepeditation and brain yelling at her that he shouldn’t be here.

  
“I had to see you again,” he told her. She felt herself being drawn into him, but turned away to finish getting ready as well as to take a few deep breaths, trying to clarify her mind.

“How did you get in here?” The most important question of all. 

  
Aro didn’t skip a beat, his answer coming smoothly out of his lips with ease, “Your door was wide open, cara mia.”

Her door was  _ wide open _ ? That was very unlike her, although it wouldn’t have been altogether surprising, she was completely lost and out of it when she came back to her apartment tonight. Perhaps she forgot to close it in her exhaustion…it wouldn’t have been the first time she had done something like that. She had nearly burned down her apartment the other night when she accidentally left her stove on. Plus with her cat gone, she no longer had to worry about it escaping. “ _ It was?” _ she repeated, trying to convince herself. 

Aro hummed, inching slowly behind her until he reached her, pressing her body against the sink. She let out a small whimper as she felt his erection pressing into her bare thigh. He closed his arms around her, and looked at her reflection through the mirror, “Yes, my dear. It was left  _ wide _ open,” his leg slowly moved in between hers, widening her stance. She felt breathless. “I was so concerned for you.  _ Anyone  _ could have come in here and  _ taken _ you.” He gave her breast a firm squeeze, his face beginning to nuzzle into her thick dark curls. He carried on, encouraged by the small puffs of breath she was beginning to exhale, “Aren’t you glad that I came in and checked on you?”

  
Ramona was only able to nod, worried that she would be unable to form a coherent sentence at that point. His ministrations were becoming more desperate by the second. He growled in her neck, his breath scalding against her, “ _Answer me_.” he demanded. 

“Th—Thank you.” She gave him the words she  _ knew _ he wanted to hear. 

Testing the boundaries of time and space, Aro grabbed her shoulders and hauled her with him in an instant, taking a few steps until she was shoved backwards into the wall behind her. Like she was weighed nothing, he hoisted her up, crowding her up against it, forcing her to arch into him and hold onto him with her legs.

  
He moved her from the sink to the wall in mind-shattering speed, but Ramona could barely think about that as she watched him undo his belt, dropping his trousers and underwear and letting them hang down by his legs. He pushed up her slip just a bit, pulled her panties down around her ankles, and he _fucked_ right up into her, sheathing himself in one achingly strong roll of his hips. It knocked the breath out of her, and she collapsed against him, holding onto him for dear life as he rocked into her _over, and over, and over again._

An unpleasant friction was burning against her back as he pounded her into the wall, but she barely felt it as every single nerve in her body was screaming at the onslaught of pleasure that was overtaking her body. It was  _ fucking sexy.  _ She had never been taken like this and fucked up against a wall in her entire life. 

  
“ _Fucking god_ — ** _fuck_** ,” he snarled, the words leaving his mouth unbidden and she was surprised as she hadn’t ever heard him swear before. “Good—good girl, _fuck_ —you’re—” the words are barely intelligible growls, but she hangs on to every single one. She never had heard him run his mouth like this. “— _soft._ And— _so beautiful_. I— _fuck_ ,” he swore, saying so softly that she wondered if he was saying to her or to himself, “—Ngh, I needed you _so bad_.” 

  
Ramona couldn’t say anything, she just listened to him breathlessly as he growled into her ear, taking in his string of incoherent mumbles and vulgarities and letting them soak into her. The rhythm is continuous and steady but they quickly reach their breaking point, and they’re clenching and throbbing in turns. He exploded inside her, releasing a wave of white hot liquid, setting fire to her core. He only needed a few hard thrusts into her until she reached her own orgasm. Aro held her there against the wall, holding her sturdy until her body stopped convulsing. 

  
It was a hard, fast, _desperate_ fuck. What surprised her the most was not only his loss of control of his usually sophisticated vocabulary (which turned _quite colorful_ during the act, that man could certainly run his mouth—), but the desperation in which he fucked her. Ramona saw it in his eyes when he fucked her, felt it in his arms as he trembled underneath her, holding on to her tightly like she was the most cherished thing in the world. All reservations she had before flew out the window; she knew he felt it, felt that feeling of just being so damn _right_ , just as much as she did.

She was panting heavily, trying to get her breathing back in control. She licked her lips, trying to regain the moisture in her dry mouth. Ramona looked at him, and managed a small playful smile, “I guess I’ll leave my door open more often then.”

He’s still inside her, but the throbbing is beginning to lessen and she can feel her own legs starting to calm down. When the shaking is completely gone, he slides out and lowers her legs gently to the floor. 

  
They stared at each other for a few moments, and it looks like he is struggling to come up with what to say to her, as if the words that poured so easily from his mouth suddenly rendered him mute. Finally, he seemed to remember himself, transforming right in front of her to the charming, confident Italian she knew so well.   
  


Aro broke their staring contest with a chaste kiss. “Forgive me, carina,” he purred, his fingers going back under the hem of her chemise and onto her bare skin, grazing her taut stomach, “I have completely ruined your hygiene routine.”

  
Ramona giggled, bringing him in for another kiss, “Well, we can fix that by going in the shower,” she said, and tried to playfully push him towards her shower. The man didn’t budge though, and grabbed her hips to keep her from leaving.

  
“ _No_ ,” he murmured, moving her hair over her shoulder and lightly kissing her neck. “I want evidence of myself to stay _on and in you_ for the rest of the night.”

She gave him a naughty grin before nodding, and he picked her up again, carrying her with ease out of the bathroom and laying her on the bed. Aro turned the lights off, removed the rest of his clothing, and crawled in bed beside her. Ramona curled up against him, laying her head on his chest, next to his heart. Within seconds, he carefully repositioned her, so that he was spooning her from behind. She wasn’t bothered though, and let herself relax into the mattress, comforted by his weight behind her. 

  
She sighed softly, “You’re staying the night this time, right?”

  
He answered with a soft kiss to her back, “Yes. Now go to sleep, Ramona.”

  
And without a second thought, she did.

* * *

It was a Sunday morning, and she was looking forward to having her first full day off in what seemed like forever. No ten hour long rehearsals, no late night performances. Vaguely, she could hear the sound of the morning news playing on her television, so she woke up, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and stretching the knots in her body. The warm bed was empty, but her disappointment was quickly dissolved when she saw Aro sitting at her kitchen island. He was fully clothed, mindlessly scrolling through his cellphone, a small white paper bag in front of him. She cleared her throat, and he looked up, a large smile brightening his face.

  
“Buongiorno, carina,” he greeted her sweetly. She bit her lip playfully and made her way to the kitchen island, not caring how exposed she was. “Did you sleep well?” he asked. She nodded.

“What’s that?” Ramona gestured to the white paper bag. He made a soft ‘aha’ sound and pushed the bag towards her. She sighed, it smelled heavenly. 

  
“Breakfast,” he answered simply, watching her as she tore the bag apart. Ramona was starving, she would have eaten anything at that point. But he pleasantly surprised her, having picked out her favorite breakfast sandwich at her favorite local bagel shop. She grabbed it and took a large bite, humming in delight.

  
“How did you know what my favorite breakfast was?” she asked, teasingly.

  
Aro just stared at her mouth, clearly distracted. He made a soft sound at the back of his throat. “Lucky guess, I suppose.”

  
She giggled, “And where’s _your_ breakfast?”

  
“Already ate,” he answered quickly. She hummed, taking another bite of her sandwich. 

  
“So what, you’re just going to sit here and watch me eat?” 

  
His hands found her waist, and his thumb rubbing small circles into her skin. “I _like_ watching you eat,” he said simply. Ramona blushed wildly, suddenly feeling self-conscious as he stared her down, noticing an uncontrolled twitch in the man’s jaw as she took another bite of food. She was beginning to truly believe that statement. She made herself a cup of coffee and finished the rest of her breakfast, silently drawing her courage before asking him her next question.

  
“So…how long are you here for?” she asked, hoping that she sounded casual.

  
Aro checked his cell phone again, ignoring her for a moment while typing out a rather long text message. He sighed, looking back at her, and impulsively scratched at his nose, as if thinking, debating….“I return to Volterra this afternoon.”

  
“So soon?” her voice seemed small even to her, and she winced internally, hoping that she wasn’t coming across as desperate. 

  
He gave another long exhale, as if painful to do so, “Yes, unfortunately, I am needed back home as soon as possible. Seemingly _nothing_ can be done without my presence and so I am forcibly required to head back.” He gave her a small smile. Ramona managed a small smile back, but for some reason her brain was screaming at her. He's _lying_. 

  
She took a sip of coffee, hoping that the caffeine would kick some sense into her, “What _is_ it you do for work again?” she asked, pretending as if she had forgotten but realizing that she never actually asked the man. 

  
“I am,” he sniffed and itched his nose again, thinking. Was that a _tell_ for when he was trying to make up a lie? Ramona logged that piece of information into the back of her mind for later. “—I am a _leader_ of sorts, I suppose.”

She quirked an eyebrow, “Like a politician?”

  
He gave her a rather forced looking smile. “Yes, Ramona, _exactly_ like a politician. I didn’t quite know the English word for it.”

Ramona gave him an odd, disbelieving look, but let it go. His English had been nothing but  _ impeccable _ . That and she couldn’t quite see her handsome companion as some sleazy, blood sucking politician, but then again, she didn’t know the man quite as well as she wanted. But she  _ dearly _ wanted to change that, and him leaving again so soon left her with nothing but anxiety and anticipation as to when she’d get another chance to see him again.

  
“Well…do you have time to take a quick tour around the Big Apple before you leave?” she asked, hoping that he’d say yes. Aro gave her a look of fondness, before grabbing her hand and giving it a small squeeze. “I would enjoy that.”

So Ramona got dressed real quick, threw on a warm peacoat jacket, and the pair wandered around the city for a bit, as she gave her Italian companion a tour of Times Square and other tourist spots. It felt unreal and yet…so  _ normal _ . It was cold out and starting to lightly snow, but it didn’t bother her, in fact it just added the perfect romantic touch to their outing. 

Ramona couldn’t help but grin from ear to ear, as the two of them held hands, chatted, walked around and….felt like a couple. Which was bizarre, but it felt so  _ right _ , being together in simplicity; not at a wedding, or at a dance rehearsal, or intense sexual rendezvous. 

“I can’t believe I haven’t asked you yet, carina mia, how was your first performance?” Aro asked her, and her heart soared, as she could feel the genuine interest flowing off of him. She smiled, positive that she was glowing.

  
“It was _amazing_ ,” she gushed, and she felt even happier as her male companion’s face broke out in a grin. Ramona blushed, “I can’t believe I got to perform the lead! On _opening night!_ I feel horrible because I’m not even sure what happened with the prima, or why she didn’t show up, but, well…I got to dance!”

  
Aro squeezed her hand, “Don’t feel horrible, carina,” he stopped them, and brought her close to him and held her tightly. He lightly tipped her chin up, so she was staring up at him. “You _deserve_ it, Ramona. You deserve every second of it. It’s yours.”

  
He kissed her again, and as she felt his cool lips melt against hers, so wonderfully soft and gentle and _adoring_ , she knew it was over…she was utterly and undeniably his. He smiled against her lips, peering down at her as if he knew all of her thoughts, hopes, and dreams, and Ramona thought, _How is this real?_

  
He gave her one final kiss, before saying those damning words. 

  
“I am so proud of you, my darling.” he murmured against her lips.

  
_Fuck_ , she thought. It wasn’t every day to find a man who was so interested and supportive in your dreams. And yet here he was, giving her everything. In the silly back of her mind, she somehow _knew_ he would give her the world too, if she wanted.

  
They eventually made their way to Rockefeller Center, where the large Christmas tree was already lit and displayed in all of its glory. The large colorful lights twinkled on them and shined so brightly against the darkening sky, the snow falling softly on them. It was one of her favorite parts of living in New York, and she always felt just a little bit saddened when she left her Christmas tree ( _she had never gotten her own for the apartment, felt a little silly when she was living by herself...and now she didn’t even have the cat)_ and left to go over Charlies or Renees. Which reminded her that she had to figure out her Christmas plans that she still hadn’t decided on. She glanced at Aro, who was staring at the large tree with a… _was that a bored look?_ Ramona raised an eyebrow, and tapped the man playfully on the shoulder.

  
“What, not impressive enough for _Mr. Volturi?_ ” she quipped. Aro gave her a small grin.

  
“Oh no, it’s an impressive tree,” he replied, “I am just not one to…celebrate the holidays, as it is. I actually find Christmas to be a rather, er… _pedestrian_ celebration.”

“ _ Pedestrian, _ ” she laughed. The man was ridiculous. And his vernacular, while charming, was just too much sometimes. “Well. That’s a new one. Can’t say I have heard that before.” She continued giggling, thoroughly enjoying this conversation. He didn’t seem to mind that she was having a laugh at him though, in fact he seemed humored, so she continued. “So what  _ does _ a serious and important politician from Volterra, Italy, do during the holidays? I assume you don’t buy yourself a Christmas tree then.”

  
“I do not own a Christmas tree,” he answered simply. She nodded. 

  
“Yeah, that reminds me that I have to figure that out. Whether or not I’m going to go over to Charlie’s or Renee’s this year. Or just stay here in New York…since we’ll _just_ be finishing up the show and I could probably use the downtime to recuperate.”

  
“Well, there’s a _fourth_ option,” Aro purred, and he grabbed her by the waist and brought her closer to him. The chill in the air was causing her breath to blow out in little clouds and she shivered. “You could come with me to Volterra for Christmas. I can show you around _my_ city.”

  
Ramona bit her lip, “I’m not sure—”

  
“ _Consider it_ ,” he uttered softly, and captured her mouth. Ramona cursed inwardly as he kissed her, realizing that all of her excuses were slowly falling apart in her mind and she wanted nothing more than to join the man for the holidays. But to just hop on a plane with a guy she barely knew and spend the holidays with him—

“I’ll think about it,” she finally answered. “Although, you might have to do something about not having a Christmas tree if I am to come over there.”

  
“ _Deal_ ,” he said, leaning forward to steal another kiss. A sudden buzzing sound vibrated from his pocket and he halted. Aro looked at the phone and gave an annoyed look, before firing off a quick text and looking at her exasperatedly. “It seems that I am being summoned. I must leave now,” he gave her a small peck on the lips, “I will do my best to come to see one of your performances next week, cara mia. I promise. We will talk soon.”

  
“O—okay,” she said softly. She helped him hail a taxi and waved goodbye as he headed off to the airport, gone again. But with the promise of seeing each other again, and him wanting to continue their… _whatever it was_ , by spending the holidays together. 

  
She spent the rest of her afternoon debating her different decisions, before ultimately deciding that she wanted nothing more than to spend her holiday in Italy. Guilt racked at her though, especially as she considered Charlie. She worried for the man, especially now that Bella was married. Would she spend the holiday with her new husband and his family? Maybe they would invite Charlie over so he wouldn’t be alone…Ramona selfishly hoped that they did, if only so that she didn’t have to feel too horrible about not spending Christmas with him.

  
_Although_ …she did have the next three days off before her next show on Thursday night. Maybe Derrick would let her skip out on a few practices to see her family before the holidays. After all, she hadn’t seen Bella since she arrived home from her honeymoon and had some dreadful sickness. And besides…if she wanted to take a few days off, she very well could. She wasn’t even the lead ballerina, she was the understudy. It wasn’t her fault that Angelina went rogue. That and she was the only person who had a good grasp on the dances, so Derrick could _hardly_ fire her if she decided to take a few personal days.

  
After some heated text messages and strong convincing from Ramona’s part, she convinced her director to give her the next few days off. With a sudden wave of confidence and boldness, she purchased a ticket and got on the next flight to Washington the next morning.   


* * *

**I don't think we need the Italian translations at this point, if you don't remember what "cara" or "carina" means at this point, I can't help you lol Hehe  
  
  
**

**If you guessed that Demetri killed Angelina, snaps to you. I don't know what's wrong with me that I keep killing off these innocent characters (Angelina, the cat...), but apparently that's what this story is now so....*shrugs*. But we all know our beloved vampire is a** **selfish, selfish individual, so it shouldn't be surprising. I mean....in Aro's brain, he definitely thought he was doing Ramona a favor. What a nice...gift.**

**I wrote this chapter because I just wanted them to fuck again, not gonna lie. Yes, the name of this chapter is "A Good Reunion", but in MY MIND, I refer to this chapter as "Sexy Time Part 2". OR "Sexy Time, The Sequel". Hahaha. I also wanted them to have some cute fluffy romance too...**


	10. A Bad Reunion Part 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I didn't want to post this chapter until I finished the last chapter I was working on (Chapter 12), but it's FINALLY done so now I can! Also I can't wait to post Chapter 12. It might be my favorite so far, idk. You're all gonna kill me - 
> 
> I want you all to know that this chapter and the next chapter are pretty much one and the same. They were SUPPOSED to be one chapter, but it got too big...I'm talking like, over 15 pages or something. So I decided to cut it in half and give you two chapters for the price of one. Also helps me out so I get to stay ahead of this story like I have been and I'm not scrambling to give you a chapter last minute. 
> 
> I love reading your reviews. It makes me so excited when I read people's reviews and I'm like: "OOH THEY'RE SO CLOSE TO THE TRUTH" or "HAHAHA, THEY'RE GONNA BE SO MAD WHEN THEY FIND OUT-". Your reviews also help me because it makes me double take some things and think, "hmm...maybe I SHOULD include this in the story" or "I totally forgot about that, let me add that in-". Which is so helpful and I am loving this process! 
> 
> All of you are amazing and I love you so much. Cheers to you! <3 <3

**INSPO OF THE DAY : LOL. Becks (@TheMindOggles) on Twitter made this beautiful image and I asked her if I could throw it at the top of one of my chapters, since it WORKS SO PERFECTLY hahaha. So props for Becks for letting me use it!! Also if you aren't a Michael Sheen Stan on Twitter, I highly suggest you do so as the community is hilarious. It's all I've been doing during COVID19 Quarantine - Twitter and writing Pas De Deux lol**

* * *

The morning following Aro and Ramona’s _midnight tryst_ left Aro feeling completely and wonderfully pleased, feeling once again satiated as that angry fire that threatened to consume him was starting to fade. His mind was cleared, and he allowed himself to bask in the human girl’s warmth, her calm, steady breathing, throughout the night before leaving her sleeping in bed. He hadn’t even necessarily planned on staying the night again, but she wanted him to _so much_ and he found that he had a hard time denying the girl a request.  
  
  
Ramona had been absolutely breathtaking last night. He had planned on taking her the moment he walked into the apartment, but he had no idea how entirely _overcome_ he would be by her. Aro generally prided himself on his self control, but the way he took her against the wall…she had him falling apart underneath her and he had never felt so utterly _desperate_.  
  
  
As Aro left the apartment to take a quick walk to the bagel shop that he read in her memories that she enjoyed, he convinced himself that it was all just a natural part of some innate, primal desire to put a child into her. Which _was_ something that he very, _very_ much wanted to do. Ever since he laid eyes on that hybrid Cullen child, Aro decided that he had wanted one as well. Something _new._ And what Aro wanted, he often got.  
  
  
And despite what his friend Carlisle would surely assume, he had not simply picked the girl due to her relation to their own ( _ex)_ human. No, Ramona had simply danced straight into his line of fire, a perfect, beautiful, _willing_ participant in his game of chess. She had felt a pull towards him as much as he did towards her, and how could he deny the two of them their pleasure just because of some minor political complications. Complications that the girl was, at the moment, totally unaware of, and of which he intended her to remain unaware of for the time being.  
  
  
He had already came inside of the girl twice, both times without the use of any protection. Ramona had gotten off of her birth control pills a few months ago due to some minor medical complications, and she had not demanded that he get any other form of protection. To which he was very grateful that she had been too distracted to do so, as that would have been an unpleasant discussion as he would have to try to come up with an excuse as to why he did not want to use one of those ridiculous human devices.  
  
  
From his understanding of young Edward’s memories, the couple only engaged in sexual intercourse twice in order to conceive the child. Aro could only hope that he was as fortunate.  
  
  
Aro brought his pretty human her breakfast, watching her intently as she ate and he experienced another odd, primal instinct as he suddenly felt _pleased_ watching her eat. Feeding her, providing for her…for their child that he desperately wanted to already be inside of her.  
  
  
“Well…do you have time to take a quick tour around the Big Apple before you leave?” she asked him so sweetly, so full of hope, that all the vampire could do was oblige her.  
  
  
Aro let himself be dragged around the modern city, finding that he quite enjoyed the city as well. It was cold out, and snowing, and he was grateful that he didn’t have to make up an excuse as to why he couldn’t go outside. He read her mind as she held his hand innocently. It felt like a normal dating experience to her, and she was enjoying the simplicity of their afternoon. Aro felt almost guilty knowing that he was planning on taking all the normalcy out of their relationship and soon…so he decided to indulge her and acted how he assumed a normal, modern gentleman would. And he had to secretly admit, their casual flirtations were rather enjoyable.  
  
  
She ended up taking him to some large Christmas tree, which she pestered him on for a bit. Aro had no opinion on the holidays, not celebrating it in over a millenia, and the last time he celebrated it was called Saturnalia. But a thought came to his mind as she talked about Christmas…a very, very good excuse formulating and he was suddenly very thankful to the silly human holiday. “Well, there’s a _fourth_ option. You could come with me to Volterra for Christmas. I can show you around _my_ city.”  
  
  
And just like that, he _knew_ that he got her, as he gave her a final kiss and read in her mind her strong desire to go to Italy with him. A plan was designed and her fate sealed with him.  
  
  
The flight back to Volterra felt longer than usual and Aro felt impatient as he and Demetri unboarded the jet and made their way into the castle. On his way inside, he stopped by the front desk, staring thoughtfully at the new human secretary. He gave Demetri a glance to move along, which the young vampire did, leaving him alone with the human.  
  
  
He realized that he didn’t know this one very well, having only disposed of their previous secretary ( _was it Bianca?)_ a few weeks ago after learning of Isabella’s transformation. The blonde girl, who was rather plain and reeked of terror, was attempting to hide her nervousness but was performing poorly. Aro once again felt reaffirmed that his selection of the elder Swan sister was the right choice for him.  
  
  
“I need you to do a favor for me, sweet Laura,” he told the girl, who was looking at him as if he was going to bite her head off. _If she kept on shaking like a leaf he just_ ** _might_** _._ “I need you to find lodgings for me. Permanent lodgings, that is. Outside of Volterra…Florence, perhaps.”  
  
  
She blinked, “Like—like an apartment?” she asked, and he contained himself from thrashing her silly little head against the wall. He needed her to do this though.  
  
  
“Yes, like an apartment, Laura. Or rather—what is it called, a condominium? I would like to own it outright.” he thought about it, realizing that it would do no good for him to put dear Ramona in an apartment. He needed to remove her access to other humans. “And no multifamily residences either, it must be a single residence.”  
Laura looked at him oddly, “Well, why don’t you just purchase a house, master?”  
  
  
Aro glared at the girl, who shrinks back under his angry gaze. Purchasing a house for Ramona felt somehow…too _domestic._ He had a sudden vision of a small little house with a white picket fence and felt ill at the prospect of such domesticity. No, that would not do at all.   
  


“No, no houses.” he said out loud, more to himself than the secretary.   
  


She continued to give him an odd look, which he wanted to slap right off of her face. “But Master, all condominiums are at least duplexes. You’d be sharing it with some neighbor, unless you bought the other unit attached to it—”  
  
  
“Well then Laura, that’s what will be done.” he said sharply, ending the discussion. She nodded and immediately went to her laptop to research real estate in Florence. Aro left the human to her work, feeling content and looking forward to the weeks to come.   
  
  


* * *

  
  
Due to the nightmare of a layover that Ramona had to deal with in Omaha, her flight finally landed in Seattle later that evening, and she was irritated that she wasted practically an entire day at the airport. She rented a car and drove to Forks, looking forward to seeing her father and sister for the first time in weeks.   
  


She took a quick pit-stop at a nearby CVS, realizing that she had forgotten some essential items and didn’t want to be a burden on Charlie. As Ramona was scanning the pharmacy for some Advil, her eyes stopped on a set of boxes and she realized that she was in the feminine care and family planning section.  
  
  
It immediately dawned on her that she hadn’t used any protection with Aro.  
  
  
 _Twice.  
  
_  
 _Shit_ , she thought, cursing herself for her recklessness and stupidity, adding this on to the already long list of bad decisions she had made throughout her life. _Well it’s too late for the first time_ , she realized, thinking back to the first time they had sex only five days beforehand. The second time was only two days ago, but she was certain that she had 72 hours after unprotected sex.  
  
  
Ramona grabbed the Plan B box, as well as a box of condoms, a water bottle, and a bottle of Aspirin. She left the pharmacy in a hurry, flushing embarrassedly as she tried to ignore the rude look from the cashier and the bubbling shame that look caused her to feel.  
  
  
She slammed the car door with a thud, and stared at the box in question.   
  
  


_Fuck it_ , she thought, as she ripped open the box and downed the pill with her bottle of water, _it’s my body and there’s no way I’m taking care of any baby.  
  
_  
It was about 6PM when she finally reached Charlie’s house, and for a split second she felt nervous that she didn’t tell him ahead of time that she was coming over. She _wanted_ it to be a pleasant surprise, but what if he was busy? Or if he had some _lady friend_ over or something? His police cruiser was in the driveway, so he was home at least. Ramona grabbed her bags and walked to the house, knocking on the door.  
  
  
She wrestled with her keys, trying to find her spare key to Charlie’s house, when the door opened suddenly, and Ramona frowned in confusion at the new face who opened the door to her own father’s house. A small child, perhaps seven years of age, was staring back up at her as if _she_ was the stranger. Her father’s voice echoed from what sounded like the kitchen, “ _Who is it!?_ ” and Ramona felt immediately relieved that her father was okay. The small girl called back to her father, “I don’t know!”  
  
  


Ramona watched as Charlie ran quickly from the kitchen in concern, the anxious expression on his face slowly fading in realization of who it was, and was quickly replaced by a chuckle and large smile. “Mona!” he exclaimed, and he gathered her in a large hug. She relaxed into his embrace, enjoying the familiar, fatherly comfort that only Charlie could give her. His excitement slowly dimmed though as he stared at her in confusion, “What are you doing here? Why aren’t you in New York?”  
  
  


“I have the next few days off until my next performance, so I thought I’d come down and surprise you!” she explained. She gestured awkwardly to the unknown child in front of her, trying not to seem rude but probably failing miserably. Ramona was infamously terrible with children. “Who is this?”  
  
  
“Oh—,” he seemed to just remember the small child was standing there, watching the adults interact quietly without saying a word, “Mona, this is Renesmee,” Ramona’s eyebrows shot up at the name, which Charlie silently responded by giving her the _look_ _™_ , “Renesmee is Edward and Bella’s daughter…errr, their adopted daughter, that is.”  
  
  
Ramona was certain that she was looking at her father as if he had grown three heads, because Charlie was continuing to give her _that look_ ™ that signaled she had better keep her mouth shut. He continued, and ruffled the young girl’s hair fondly, “Renesmee, this is your Aunt Ramona. She’s your mother’s older sister.”  
  
  
The child’s beautiful face broke out in a large smile, “It’s so nice to meet you Auntie Ramona!” she said, her voice sounding like goddamn wind chimes, and she jumped and captured Ramona in a hug. Despite being accosted by the small strange child, Ramona found herself half-heartedly returning the embrace.  
  
  
“Nice to meet you too, Renesmee,” she said awkwardly. What a _stupid_ name, she thought. And very, very odd…it was clearly a mix between Renee and Edward’s mother Esme, but this girl was a fully grown child. Why would they rename a child that they adopted? In no world did they just so happen to adopt a child named _Renesmee._

Charlie must have sensed Ramona’s apprehension because he immediately spoke up, “Well Mona, I was actually just about to drive Nessie back home. If you want to unpack things and eat some of the leftovers for dinner, feel free, I’ll be back in a little bit and I’ll let Bella and Edward know you’re back in Forks.”  
  
  
“O—okay…I’m pretty tired anyway.” She watched as Charlie smiled and nodded stiffly, before him and the girl moved past her to get to his car. Ramona frowned, but ignored the sinking feeling in her gut that something weird was going on. _Charlie just seemed so…off,_ she thought, as she made her way to her childhood bedroom and started unpacking everything.   
  
  


Ramona threw on her pajamas and went downstairs to grab whatever leftovers there were from dinner ( _and of course it was a bucket of fried chicken, she shouldn’t have been surprised)_ and lounged on the couch, waiting for her father to return from the Cullen residence. Bored, she looked at her phone to see if she had any missed messages. To her disappointment, there were none.  
  
  
 _Maybe he wants you to reach out_ , she thought, _to take charge…  
  
  
_

Feeling anxious, her fingers danced nervously over the keypad as she thought about what she wanted to text Aro. _He likes you, stop worrying so much_ , she told herself. Drumming up some confidence, she began typing him a message, feeling giddy as she did so.  
  
  
 **/ Hey! :) /  
  
** **  
**Ramona frowned, and hit the backspace button until the message disappeared. She repeated the process three more times, getting frustrated with herself, but ultimately sticking with the original greeting, not able to come up with anything more clever. _Why is this so difficult_?!  
  
  
Buzz.   
  


/ **Good evening cara mia, how are you doing tonight? Do you miss me already? /  
  
**

She grinned, biting her lip playfully and coming up with her next response.  
  


/ **Only a little /** she then sent another text **/ But I have good news for you. /  
  
** **  
**Buzz.  
  


 **/ Oh? And what might that be? /  
  
** **  
**Giving the decision one last final thought, Ramona decided that it was the right choice.  
  
  
 **/ It looks like there is a Christmas Special for international flights from JFK! /  
  
**  
Buzz.   
  


**/ Hmm, how fortuitous. I take it you plan on taking advantage of such an** **opportunity? /  
  
**

She couldn’t stand him. She suppressed a girlish squeal.  
  
  
 **/ I am. It seems like I’ll be joining you for holiday in Volterra after all /  
  
** **  
**Buzz.  
  
  
 **/ Ottimo! I am very much looking forward to** ** _having you_** **for Christmas, mia cara/  
  
  
**

She enjoyed his little implication. She looked forward to him having her as well.  
  
  
 **/ Me too. I’m about to actually tell Charlie this now, I’m in Forks until Wednesday night for my show on Thursday. I’ll message you later to let you know how it goes! /**

She stopped texting him after that, deciding she needed to be able to focus when she talked to her father about her plans.   
  


Charlie came home about a half hour later, looking a bit flustered but overall happy to see his eldest daughter. He joined her in the living room, cracking open a beer and turning on the television to some random ESPN show that Ramona slightly recognized from her memories of staying with her father as a kid. She could have laughed, nothing really ever changed with Charlie…not even the TV hosts. But that was one of her favorite things about Charlie. She never had to worry about being shocked.  
  
  
As they sat watching the television in companionable silence, Ramona realized she had to break the news about Christmas to her father at some point. It was probably best to do so when it was just the two of them, and when her dad was most easily placated and distracted.   
  
  


“Dad—part of the reason, I’m here right now….well, I wasn’t sure how to tell you, but I’m actually going to be busy this Christmas,” she said quickly, breaking the silence with a fast string of words from seemingly nowhere. Charlie hummed, but it was playful teasing.  
  
  
“Can’t give your poor old dad the time of day even on Christmas, huh?” he teased, and she rolled her eyes, smiling, “You going to Jacksonville to be with your mother then?”  
  
  
“Well no…actually I’m planning on going overseas for Christmas, this year,” she said awkwardly. Charlie’s expression turned to one of confusion. “I want to spend Christmas with a friend this year.”  
  
  
“What friend?” Charlie asked, not bothering to hide his displeased expression. Ramona groaned inwardly, knowing that this was going to take a turn for the worse. “Who do you even know in Europe?”  
  
  
“Well, there’s this guy I’ve been seeing—” she started.  
  
  
“A _guy?_ You’re not spending Christmas with your family to spend time with some random guy in Europe?” Charlie asked, bewildered. Ramona had to admit, when she heard him say it out loud she could barely believe it either. But she knew her heart, and she was determined.  
  
  
“Well, he’s not _totally_ random,” she argued, fiddling around with her cellphone. She knew she was going to regret the next sentence, but she let it utter out of her mouth anyway. “Actually, you’ve met him…at Bella and Edward’s wedding. Do you remember—”  
  
  
“Are you talking about that Italian sleazebag I caught you making out with in the back of my police cruiser?!” he sputtered, indignant at the idea. Ramona wanted to crawl into the cushions of the couch and not come back up.  
  
  
“Charlie, he’s _not_ a sleazebag,” she defended her lover, getting annoyed that her father was still nursing that grudge from months ago, “I’ve actually been kind of seeing him since, and I _really_ like him—”  
  
  
Charlie snorted loudly, clearly unimpressed. “Of course you do,” he practically sulked, his eyebrows furrowed and making a face, not even trying to hide his displeasure. “Well, I can’t say that I like it, or that I like the guy, but you’re a grown woman. You can do what you want, you don’t need my permission.”  
  
  
Ramona let out a large sigh of relief, “Thanks Charlie, I know I don’t, but I don’t like lying to you.” she grinned at her father, “Hey, I know, I’ll bring you back something from Italy!”  
  


The father scoffed, “I’d be happier if you brought back a restraining order—”  
  
  
“ _Charlie_!”  
  
  
“And I’ll even throw in a going away present for you, I think I have an extra can of pepper spray left around here somewhere.”

* * *

**  
Italian Translation:**

**Ottimo! - Great!/Excellent! (a popular exclamation)  
**

* * *

**  
That was pure silliness at the end lol But one of my favorite things about** **Charlie from the films is how much he tried to get Bella to use pepper spray on Edward, and goddamn, I stan it.**

**I would also like to apologize if you are from Omaha, or live there. Idk why I keep using it as the place where Aro and Ramona land if they're stuck in a layover but it's really funny to me for some reason. I am sure it is a lovely place. My apologies to Nebraskans.**

**Also listen- I was gonna throw this at the top of the chapter, but I decided to at the bottom instead. I understand that not everyone has the same views on birth control, or abortions, or anything like that. I am in no way, shape, or form trying to push my beliefs on to anybody else. But I want to emphasize that Ramona is a very different** **person than Bella, with different beliefs and thoughts and morals. I *personally* do not believe there is anything wrong with taking a Plan B pill. If you have a problem with that, I am sorry, but it's my story so....tough lol**


	11. A Bad Reunion Part 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here's part two of our two part chapter: A Bad Reunion. Again, this chapter was meant to be a part of the last chapter but it just got too big. As far as chapters go, this one is probably one of my least favorites (probably because there's no Aro), but it's a necessary evil and important for the plot. 
> 
> I'll probably end up posting the next chapter on Sunday. Just because I'm excited for that one lol 
> 
> Also, I found a picture online for the first time of Michael Sheen as Aro wearing suspenders and a hair clip and I DIED. If you haven't seen this, I will post this for your viewing pleasure as it is a very important picture to me. 
> 
> I hope that you are all continuing to do okay and are in good health <3 <3

The next morning, Ramona woke up early to make Charlie some eggs and bacon before he had to leave to go to work, determined to spend as much time with him as possible to make up for the fact she wouldn’t be seeing him for Christmas. In typical Charlie fashion, however, he made sure to exacerbate her guilt, throwing in the oh-pity-is-me charade and some snarky comments about a European boyfriend. A can of pepper spray he bought sat on the kitchen table proudly.   
  
  
About mid afternoon, Ramona jumped the gun and made the drive over to the Cullen residence. She hadn’t seen her sister in months and she didn’t feel like waiting any longer. Besides, she had to see for herself that her sister was okay; since arriving at Forks, Ramona had the sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach that something was wrong. Charlie had been acting differently, she had a seven year old niece named Renesmee, and she had yet to hear from her sister.  
  
  
She arrived at the modern mansion and felt a rush of emotions flood her. This is where she had first met Aro. This is where they had their first kiss, their first dance. Muscle memory caused her heart to start beating rapidly, and she felt like she was glowing, as if she had a piece of Aro with her.  
  
  
Ramona raced up the front steps and knocked excitedly on the door, eager to see her sister. The door opened and she was face to face with Carlisle, who was looking at her with apprehension. She made an attempt to smile at the Cullen patriarch, but the smile felt tight, forced; she couldn’t forget those cruel words he made to Aro that night months ago— _Why would you even be interested in her?_ Unsurprisingly, his smile also seemed forced.  
  
  
“Ramona, you’re here.” Carlisle stated, to which she responded with a raise of her eyebrows and a ‘duh’ expression. He quickly caught himself. “Charlie told us you came home last night, we just weren’t expecting you to drop by. _Unannounced_.”  
  
  
 _Was that a hint of attitude from Doctor Cullen?_ Well, two could play that game, and Ramona was starting to get aggravated by all of the weirdness that had been going on.  
  
  
“Yeah, well, I thought I’d drop by and see Bella, since I haven’t seen her in like 3 months,” she bit out. She even surprised herself at the tone of her own voice. Still, she continued, growing more confident. “Especially since Bella was so sick she had to go to Switzerland,” she mocked, “as well as maybe get to know the niece I didn’t know that I even _had_.”  
  
  
Carlisle stared hard at her, as if debating if he was even going to let her in. Ramona slowly was gaining the courage to kick down the door if she had to. Finally, he nodded, and moved aside so she could enter the house.  
  
  
When she came inside, she was immediately greeted by Esme, who happily embraced her with a warm hug. Despite her warm welcome, Ramona still felt ill at ease; she looked around the ostentatious home, searching for her sister.  
  
  
“So where’s Bella?” she asked, “Or Edward? Or Renesmee?”  
  
  
“They were hiking out back in the woods, they should be returning soon,” Esme explained. Ramona felt no comfort; her clumsy sister hiking seemed something out of the Twilight Zone. The day was just getting stranger and stranger.  
  
  
Esme poured her some lemonade as she waited and they chatted idly about the ballet. She couldn’t help but feel a bit smug about getting the lead role. As well as starting her relationship with the annoying doctor’s handsome Italian friend.  
  
  
“Well, we’d love to be able to come up to New York to see you perform,” Esme said kindly, squeezing Carlisle’s knee playfully, “We could definitely use the vacation anyway.”  
  
  
“I bet, with a little kid in the house now…” Ramona still thought that the whole situation was bizarre. She swallowed hard, deciding it was now or never to ask the questions that have been on her mind. “Speaking of that—you don’t…you don’t think that Edward and Bella are a little _young_ to have a child? That’s a lot of responsibility for two eighteen year olds…”  
  
  
“Perhaps, but that is what Bella and Edward wanted, they were so eager to start a family…and besides, we are fully supportive of adoption in this house,” Carlisle answered with a chuckle, “Clearly.”  
  
  
Ramona gave a strained smile. “Of course. I mean, I think that adoption is wonderful. I just worry my sister is taking on so much at such a young age, before even starting her own life, her own career…and that name, Renesmee…I don’t understand, did they rename—”  
  
  
Her question was cut off by the backdoor sliding open, revealing her sister, her new husband, and their new child. Ramona felt whiplash as she suddenly realized that this was her sister’s new family unit; and she, the outsider. But Bella…well, Bella just seemed so… _wrong_.  
  
  
She was beautiful. Not that her sister wasn’t always beautiful, but…it was the wrong kind of beautiful, the kind that screamed that _that_ wasn’t her sister. An alien in a skin suit created to look like her sister, maybe.  
  
  
Edward seemed to immediately realize that Ramona was having a mental breakdown. “Maybe we should give them some space,” he told the rest of his family. He looked to her sister. “We’ll be down in a little bit.”  
  
  
The girl who looked like her sister nodded, and the rest of the Cullen clan left to go upstairs, leaving the sisters alone. Ramona stared her sister down, as if she could will the truth out of her with just a look. “Are you okay?” she finally asked. That was the most important question.  
  
  
Bella smiled, an honest smile and nodded, “Yes, Ramona, I’m okay,” she crossed the room, breaking the invisible barrier that seemed to separate the sisters and embraced her. “I’m more than okay. I feel…amazing.”  
  
  
“Well, you look amazing…” Ramona said slowly, trying to infer upon her sister her concern about her appearance. Bella gave a small laugh, but didn’t explain. She continued, determined to get an answer and an explanation that she could understand. “Did something happen? During your honeymoon? What were you sick with, Bella? Why…why did you adopt a kid?”  
  
  
Bella raised her hands in surrender, “Whoa, that’s a lot of questions, sis, one at a time,” she giggled, in an attempt to turn the conversation lighthearted, “I don’t know what to tell you, I guess marriage just looks good on me. And I’m happy. So, unbelievably happy. Can’t you just be happy for me and support me? Like I support you?”  
  
  
Ramona’s mouth worked, but no sound came out. Finally, she shrugged, deciding not to fight too hard…after all, her sister _did_ seem happy. Just because it is **_most certainly not_** the life she would choose for herself, doesn’t mean she should judge her sister.  
  
  
Even if she secretly thought her sister took a sharp left turn into crazy town.  
  
  
“I really want you to get to know Renesmee,” Bella intoned, breaking the awkward silence, “I’ll have her come right down.” Silently, Ramona nodded and Bella left her to go upstairs and get her daughter.  
  
  
The small family made their way down to the living room and Ramona had to begrudgingly admit the little family her sister made for herself was precious. The girl was truly a doll; and she spent the next hour showing off all of her paintings and drawings to Ramona, and her favorite toys, and dolls, and even her piano skills.  
  
  
As Renesmee was showing off her rendition of one of Beethoven’s sonatas, a dark, sinking feeling erupted in her gut as she looked more closely at the child, really getting a good look at her. As if seeing her for the first time—  
  
  
The girl’s eyes; the warm, bright, happy chocolate brown eyes that were shining with excitement as she played the piano…they were the same eyes she saw in her father. In Bella’s…and in her own.  
  
  
The girl had Bella’s eyes. Her _family’s_ eyes.  
  
  
Panic began to settle in her bones and she felt her heart expand painfully, thumping wildly in her chest. Everyone immediately turned to her as if she had rang an alarm. Even small Renesmee stopped playing the piano, the final key echoing through the room, as if mocking her. Edward and Bella exchanged a quick look, but Ramona caught it. _What the hell was going on?  
  
_  
She swallowed, trying to clear her head and regulate her breathing. “I—I need to go to the bathroom,” she managed to utter, and she left the family to rushly run up the stairs. She slammed the bathroom door behind her and quickly turned on the sink, splashing cold water on her face. Ramona took a few more deep breaths, willing herself to calm down.  
  
  
 _You’re being insane_ , she told herself. _You’re tired, and overworked, and stressed, and you miss Aro_ —  
  
  
Ramona slowly convinced herself she was acting mad, and quietly left the bathroom. Curiously, she found herself across the hall from what she could tell was her sister and Edward’s bedroom. Feeling compelled, she wandered in, not knowing exactly what she was looking for, but _needing_ to find something. Anything.  
  
  
She was in the middle of searching through Bella’s sock drawer when she found a small, pink photo album nestled carefully in the corner. Instinct screamed at her to take it. Ramona opened it, and she stumbled, barely able to catch herself from dropping the album as she gaped silently at the photos.  
  
  
They were pictures of Renesmee, clearly, and marked with little comments like ‘ _Renesmee’s first steps_ ’, but…she was younger. _Years_ younger. Her heart beat wildly as she scanned page after page, coming across more pictures of her niece, in the arms of her sister…even as an infant.  
  
  
It was wrong. _It was all wrong._ And Bella…she was _lying_ to her. About what exactly, she wasn’t sure. But something was wrong; wrong with Bella, wrong with Renesmee, and with the entire Cullen family. All of them, she decided.  
  
  
 _Wait, was Charlie in on it too?_ She felt cold, sick to her stomach. Ramona briefly wondered if she was going to vomit onto the rug. Another thought screamed in her head, worse than all of the others put together.  
  
  
 _Was Aro in on it?_ He was an old friend of Carlisle’s…  
  
  
Flustered, she grabbed one of the photos of Renesmee as an infant and made her way down the stairs. To her dismay, seemingly the entire Cullen clan greeted her at the bottom of the stairs. Trapping her. She suddenly felt like a wild animal, threatened and backed into a corner. She jutted the photo out in front of her, a piece of evidence justifying her panic and a vindication from madness. “I found this.” she declared sharply, daring them to say something, to give a good reason.  
  
  
Edward was the first to speak up. “Ramona, there’s a good explanation—”  
  
  
“Do **NOT** try to gaslight me.” she growled.  
  
  
The Cullen family was silent, as if debating what to do with the incredibly manic girl who was shaking on their stairway. Bella finally tried to reason with her sister.   
  
  
“Mona, please…you need—you need to let this go. I’m happy, we’re all happy, nobody has been hurt—”  
  
  
That might have been true, but Ramona couldn’t shake off the _wrongness_ of it all. And her selfish fear bubbling up in her chest. _Aro…  
  
_ _  
_Edward’s head immediately snapped to her and he looked at her in shock, “Ramona…” his voice sounded nervous, and she suddenly felt so, _so cold_. “What…what did you do with Aro?”  
  
  
Ramona watched as all of their faces turned at the sound of his question, a mixture of horror, loathing, and disgust. Her mind swirled, thinking of all of the time she spent with him, how _intimate_ they had been…she heard Edward make a choked sound, and she felt embarrassed, as if he knew what she was thinking. But Aro…Aro and her…it had all been so perfect, so amazing.  
  
  
Everything was falling apart and her perfect reality was being threatened. And she couldn’t—she couldn’t stand it.  
  
  
“I need—I need to go,” she declared, and she bounded down the stairs, intent on running away. _Because that’s what you do best,_ the voice in her head mocked, _run away.  
  
_ _  
__Please do not run away from me again_. Aro’s voice echoed.  
  
  
“Wait—Ramona, stop—” she couldn’t even focus on whose voice it was, she just needed to leave. And _fast.  
  
_  
“No—leave me alone!” she growled, pushing past them. How she managed to push past the hoard of Cullens at the bottom of the stairs was beyond her, but she did, and she ran out of the house like a bat out of hell.  
  
  
As she threw the gear in reverse, Ramona watched as the Cullen family and her sister grew smaller and smaller as she drove away as fast as she could. She prayed her sister would leave her alone. If they followed her, she wasn’t sure what she would do.  
  
  
Charlie’s home greeted her like a safety net and she ran inside, as if being in the house would solve all of her problems. It didn’t, and if anything, only made it worse as she was greeted by not only Charlie, but her father’s friend Billy Black and his son Jacob. She must have looked like a raving lunatic from the glances they were giving her; even Charlie looked like she thought she had gone mad.  
  
  
“Mona, everything alright? You look like you’ve seen the devil,” he stated, growing concerned for his eldest daughter. Feeling enraged, she threw the photo down on the kitchen table, not caring if the Blacks saw as well.  
  
  
“Maybe I have,” she spit out. Charlie’s expression immediately changed when he saw the photo, and it was then that Ramona _knew_ he was in on it too. Even the Blacks didn’t look surprised. She felt gross, manipulated. Everyone was in on this big secret except for her.  
  
  
She made a decision. “I’m leaving,” she announced, and then ran upstairs to her bedroom to get her things and pack her suitcases. She was throwing her clothes in the suitcase when interrupted by a knock on the door. But it wasn’t Charlie.  
  
  
“Hey Ramona, can I come in?” the only slightly familiar voice of Jacob Black called behind the door. She barely knew the kid, but remembered he was rather friendly with Bella. With a huff, she opened the door and let him in. She continued throwing clothes haphazardly into her suitcase. He started awkwardly. “Listen, I don’t know what the Cullens already told you—”  
  
  
“They told me _jack_ ,” she bit out, “All I know is that there is something _fucking_ weird happening and everyone seems to know except me.”  
  
  
“Well, if it makes you feel better your dad doesn’t _exactly_ know either…but he’s come to terms with dealing with the unknown and he’s fine—”  
  
  
“Well I’M not fine,” she practically screeched. She decided she didn’t care anymore if she looked crazy, it was everyone else that had something wrong with them. “I want to know exactly what’s going on. I’M not okay with the unknown. Things are all fucking messed up and I want to know why.”  
  
  
Jacob took a second to regard her. “Listen—I can’t exactly tell you,” she glared at the boy, “I’m sort of…sworn to secrecy. But you’re right, the Cullens aren’t normal. They never have been.”  
  
  
She stopped, feeling a bit calmer as he acknowledged at least some suspicion. She had another concern. “And…and neither is Bella. Not anymore.”  
  
  
Jacob gave her a look of regret, clearly upset about it as well. “No. She’s not.”  
  
  
Tears threatened to spill over but she willed them down, suppressing her pain, filing it in a neat box inside her head. She swallowed, and looked Jacob straight in the eye. “What is it?”  
  
  
He gave a large sigh, contemplating before making a decision. “I have a book. I gave it to Bella, to explain things. I’ll give it to you.”  
  


She raised an eyebrow. A book? She supposed it was better than nothing. “Fine, we will swing by your house and get it now before I go to the airport.”  
  
  
“You’re really gonna up and leave Charlie like this?” Jacob asked, “C’mon, Charlie has been so excited to have you home. It’s late anyway. Why don’t you stay here and I’ll go run and get the book for you?”  
  
  
Ramona reluctantly agreed, and she sat dejectedly in her room, staring at the suitcase, waiting for Jacob to return with the book. He must have talked to Charlie because her dad didn’t even try to check in on her. Finally, he returned with a small, rather old looking book on “Quileute Legends”. She looked at him skeptically.  
  
  
Jacob grinned sheepishly, “I know, I know, but the answers are in there. Maybe not obviously, but you just gotta…read in between the lines.”  
  
  
Ramona rolled her eyes, “Well that doesn’t sound ominous at all,” she said, flipping through the book. But she muttered a thank you and he left, leaving her alone to her thoughts and the book. The book that supposedly had all the answers. She opened the book, and began reading.   
  
  


* * *

Ramona didn’t leave her room for the rest of the night, staying up until 5AM on Wednesday morning reading the book, intent on reading each and every word. By the time she finished it, she was exhausted, yet felt no closer near the truth than she did before.  
  
  
Read between the lines, indeed. There were about 50 different Quileute legends in the book, none of which offered an explanation for a child that grew from an infant to a small person in the timespan of a few months.  
  
  
There was one story regarding a group of people known as “The Cold Ones”, that seemed to have been already flagged for her, its corner indented as if to bookmark its importance. But Ramona read and reread the chapter, and although some parts of the story seemed to strike a nerve in her chest, she was still lost.  
  
  
She was considering driving over to La Push and giving Jacob Black a piece of her mind when a knock on the door interrupted her musing. “Ramona, it’s Bella…,” her sister said outside the door. Ramona immediately felt guilty. Of course she was upset with her younger sister, but she had come all the way to Forks to see her and ended up flying off the handle in her husband’s family home. “Jake, he told me that the two of you talked? And that—he gave you a book? To explain things?”  
  
  
A diabolical idea sparked in Ramona’s brain, and although she hated lying to her sister, she decided that it was for the greater good. Taking a deep breath, she spun the lie easily as silk, a spider catching a fly in its web. “Yeah, he did…I get it now, Bella.” she lied through her teeth, “I _know_.”  
  
  
Silence followed after, and she caught her breath, wondering if her sister could tell that she was lying. Her heart was beating so wildly that she was slightly worried that she would have a heart attack.  
  
  
“You…know?” her sister asked skeptically.  
  
  
Ramona felt the lies pass easily between her lips. “Yes, Bella, I know…I figured it all out. Jacob even confirmed it, I saw him this morning and he confirmed everything.”  
  
  
Another long beat of silence. “And…and what _exactly_ did Jacob confirm?” she asked.  
  
  
Ramona realized she was going to have to answer while remaining as vague as possible. “You know…what you are. What the Cullens are,” she decided to make a guess, it was a longshot…but she had a feeling that the passage that Jacob marked for her was significant somehow, “The Cold Ones.”  
  
  
The door slowly opened to reveal her sister staring at her with an odd expression; one missed with both disbelief and amazement. Ramona felt a bit guilty lying so brazenly to her sister, but if her hypothesis was correct, this was the _only way_ to get Bella to spit out the truth.  
  
  
Bella practically jumped on top of her, embracing her with a hug. Ramona patted her back awkwardly. “I can’t believe…I can’t believe you know and you’re not running away.”  
  
  
She was a terrible sister, she decided. “I’d never leave you Bells, we’re sisters…it’s okay. I understand now.”  
  
  
The younger sister smiled, “Well, I’d get it if you weren’t okay though. It’s not every day that you find out that your sister is a vampire.”  
  
  
What.  
  
  
 _What.  
  
_  
Her mind started spinning out of control as the word “vampire” passed unironically through her sister’s lips. Vampire. _Vampire?_ Did Bella just really say the word vampire? Her brain began racking up every thought and memory she had of what a vampire was. Images of blood-sucking monsters flooded her brain, of Nosferatu, of Dracula, hell, even a vampire version of Tom Cruise from 1994. She looked at her sister, so beautiful with her new porcelain skin. Her skin that was so cold to the touch.  
  
  
 _Cold like Aro’s_ , the voice in her head whispered. She felt her gut sink.  
  
  
Bella seemed to notice that Ramona was silently having a moment. She looked at her sister apprehensively. “Jacob…he explained that we only live off the blood of animals, right?”  
  
  
 _Only lived off of the blood of animals?_ What kind of Louis-ass, Anne Rice nonsense…Ramona’s brain continued to spin with the information. But that was good news, right? She wasn’t sure. She wasn’t sure of anything anymore. It was beginning to feel as if she stepped into a parallel universe she couldn’t escape out of; reality had been turned upside down and she wasn’t certain which way was up anymore.  
  
  
Ramona was unsure how to respond, but she realized she had been dead silent for several minutes now and Bella was beginning to look like she was about to have her own meltdown. It couldn’t be helped though, Ramona couldn’t have prepared for this. Realization hit her sister like a ton of bricks. “You didn’t…you didn’t actually _know_ , did you?” Bella whispered. Ramona could only nod, rendered speechless. She suddenly felt so much regret.  
  
  
 _You could have left it well enough alone_ , her mind taunted.  
  
  
“Ramona, please—I never wanted you to find out,” Bella explained hastily, “even Charlie doesn’t know. Just us Cullens and Jacob. Humans,” Ramona cringed at the word choice, the awful reality that her sister was no longer one sinking in, “aren’t supposed to know the truth about us. It’s one of the Volturi’s most important laws.”  
  
  
A stab wound to the heart.  
  
  
“The…Volturi…” was all she could manage. The knife twisted.  
  


Bella gave her a look of sympathy. “Yeah…listen, I know something is going on between you and Aro,” she paused, as if to see if Ramona would deny it. She denied nothing. She _felt_ nothing. “But Aro…well, he’s—he’s not _like_ _us,_ Ramona.”  
  
  
Ramona didn’t need her to clarify what she had meant. Her numb soul knew _exactly_ what her sister meant.  
  
  
When she didn’t respond, Bella continued, “He’s not safe. There’s no telling what he’ll do if he finds out that you know—”  
  
  
Ramona’s mangled brain replayed the words her sister uttered only moments ago. _One of the Volturi’s most important laws._ She thought back to her conversations with Aro. He said he was a politician. _No_ , she reminded herself. He said he was a _leader_. That’s what he originally told her before he changed his wording. Citing his lack of English as an excuse.  
  
  
 _What the actual fuck_. She wanted to _scream_.  
  
  
“—and I think that it’s best for you to stay in Forks for a while,” Bella finished. Ramona frowned.  
  
  
“But, my show—”  
  
  
“Ramona, this is a bit more important than your show, this is your safety we are talking about,” Bella scolded. She didn’t answer, but gave her sister a nod, placating her. It seemed to work, because Bella immediately relaxed and smiled. “Okay. Good. We’ll…we’ll figure things out, Ramona, don’t worry. We can fix this. You’ll be okay.”  
  
  
Ramona nodded absentmindedly. Bella continued to blabber on but she could barely pay attention. Eventually, the younger sister left, saying that she was going to talk to Edward and the rest of the Cullens, and come up with a plan to keep her safe. As Bella closed the door behind her, Ramona felt her body collapse onto the bed. She was shaking, her limbs and muscles twitching uncontrollably, and she curled into herself.  
  
  
She would allow herself ten minutes of crying and self-pity, she decided.  
  


Just ten minutes.  
  


And then, when the ten minutes were over, Ramona would pack up the rest of her things and take the first flight back to New York.   
  
  


* * *

**  
*****Small scream*  
  
** **Well....it happened lol It was bound to happen eventually right?  
  
** **If you missed Aro in this one do not worry - he shows up in the next one. And it's very exciting lol  
  
  
** **Thank you to all of my readers, new and old!!! <3 <3 <3 **


	12. What They've Done

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> AHHH. I'M SO EXCITED to post this chapter.
> 
> Idk why...idk if it's even that good, but I liked writing this one a lot. Especially towards the end, it was super fun. It's funny because writing Ramona and Aro is like writing one big train wreck...can't look away and can't stop it lol
> 
> Also if you're interested, this is Olga Esina, her performance is amazing and I think maybe one of my favorites.  
> https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OmApW06UJg0
> 
> Anyways, thank you all much for continuing to read this. I hope that I don't disappoint anyone with the direction that I'm deciding to take the story in, but I hope to keep you on your toes enough that you remain interested lol Things are not going to be straightforward in this story and there's gonna be a lot of twists and turns that maybe you'll see coming, but maybe not too haha. 
> 
> Love you all <3 <3 <3 Without you, I don't know if I'd be inspired to keep writing this.

* * *

The small condominium, although lacking in size, made up for its lack of square footage with the beautiful modern updates the previous property owner had made. Right in the heart of Florence, the condo was in the perfect location and would serve very nicely for its intention. It was a duplex, and he had the secretary purchase both units under the Volturi’s very old and very affluent bank account.  
  
  
Aro had looked at about a dozen condos in the last day and a half, breezing through Laura’s list of options until he found one that would suit his needs. Some had been half decent, but he wanted one that was perfect. He _needed_ it to be perfect.  
  
  
If he was going to keep Ramona content, which he very much hoped to do.  
  
  
But he was having to pick out a place _far_ sooner than he had originally planned.  
  
  
Ramona’s text message that she was in Forks originally pleased him, as he realized she had made the decision to come to Volterra and his plan had worked perfectly.  
  
  
The longer he mulled it over, however…Aro realized that he did _not_ like her spending time in Forks, if he could help it. It could spell disaster.  
  
  
Carlisle’s damn boy could ruin everything if he read her mind and found out about the two of them. And warned her against him.  
  
  
Aro didn’t think that the American coven would be so vagrant as to reveal to Ramona the existence of vampires, but he couldn’t be certain. It also left him in a precarious position if it was revealed that he also had the very intention of keeping Ramona as a human until she gave birth to their child.   
  


_Their child_ . It was something that Aro had never considered in his thousand years of life, something that was never a possibility. Never had he allowed himself to dream of having offspring. A son or daughter to pass on his legacy. _An heir_ .   
  


And a child to share with his sweet ballerina. Something to bind them together.  
  
  
The original plan was that Aro was going to allow her to carry on in New York for the next two weeks before she came to Volterra on her own free-will for Christmas break. He had known how important the ballet was to her; it was something she had worked so hard for, and Aro didn’t want to take his little ballerina away from what made her so happy.  
  
  
Besides, that would have given him more time to search for an appropriate home for the girl. He had resolutely decided that she would not be staying at the castle, for several reasons. One reason being the human’s safety, and the other being that Aro had no intention of letting his brothers or, god forbid his _wife_ , find out about Ramona. At least not yet…though he realized that he would have to cross that bridge eventually.  
  


But now his plan could have changed, and he would have to be ready to bring the girl to Volterra if the worst had happened and she found out about him. _Feelings_ aside, he couldn’t have her running about on her own in New York City, knowing about the existence of vampires and possibly endangering them all. He could bend the laws a little from time to time, but even that he couldn’t make up a good excuse for.  
  
  
Aro needed to check in on her again, on Thursday, when she went back to New York for her next performance. It would give him the opportunity to see her show as well, which he had meant to do at some point anyway. One touch would tell him if she had found out anything from her sister, and then he could figure out what he had to do from there. If all was well, then she didn’t know anything and he would wait until she came up for Christmas. If not—well….  
  


If not, he was going to have to take some drastic measures that he would have rather not have had to subject his little human to, if he had a choice.   
  


Caius would be angry with him for leaving Volterra again so soon, and taking their best tracker away from his post again, but his brother would just have to deal. Aro didn’t owe anyone any explanation for his actions. What was the point of being a king if he had to constantly explain himself?  
  
  


* * *

Ramona turned off her cell phone the moment that she left Charlie’s house, not wanting to get any text messages or phone calls from her sister or the rest of the Cullen family. She felt a bit guilty leaving Charlie so suddenly and without warning, but she had a feeling that he would not have found her leaving so unexpected. Even as a small child, Ramona had been a flight risk. She had threatened her parents with running away from home so many times throughout her youth it had practically become a part of her personality.  
  
  
The flight from Washington to New York had been unbearably long and Ramona spent the trip staring blankly at the screen in front of her and trying to silence her mind with sip after sip of cheap vodka.  
  
  
While she understood why her sister had insisted on having her stay in Forks for her safety, Ramona couldn’t stand the idea of giving up what she worked so hard to achieve. Being the principal dancer to Swan Lake had been a dream of hers since she was a small child. She had worked tirelessly her entire life to get to this point, had danced for companies she didn’t like, took on parts she didn’t want…Ramona had sacrificed relationships, and hadn’t spent the time she should have with her family because she was so busy with “work”. And Ramona was finally so happy; she loved her dance company, and her life was seemingly going in the right direction. To throw that all away because of Aro—  
  
  
 _Aro._ Ramona still couldn’t believe it, didn’t want to believe it…she could still hardly believe her own _sister_ had turned into something so inconceivable, so awful. But the more she thought about it, the more she considered it, the more that the terrible reality seemed so indisputably obvious.  
  
  
But, she had thought—she had really thought that the… _whatever_ _it was_ , between her and Aro…she thought it had _meant_ something. Ramona truly believed that they were perfect for each other, that Aro was the answer, the _cure_ , to her loneliness, and that he was the missing puzzle piece that she had been so desperately searching for. He _understood_ her, he enjoyed many of the same things that she did, he shared her passions, her work ethic…he was a boyfriend who would support her and be proud of her, someone who she didn’t have to give everything up for because her dreams and his dreams would become one and the same—  
  


Those moments between them felt so real. More real than anything she had ever felt in her entire life.  
  
 _  
_A fairytale that she had convinced herself so easily was possible for even her.  
  


And to think, it had all been a _lie.  
  
_  
Ramona felt queasy, her stomach tying in knots as she thought about all of the intimate moments they shared together. How she had let him into her life, into her home, into her bed…and the entire time it had been a lie. She allowed a monster into her bed and into her _body_.   
  


Had Aro only ever been interested in her blood? She understood the implicit meaning behind her sister’s words clear enough “ _he’s not like us, Mona”_ ; the vampire that crawled under her sheets was not like the Cullens, didn’t live off the blood of animals. He killed humans, probably thousands… _he probably wanted to kill_ **_you_ ** , her mind supplied.  
  


And yet—he never killed her. Never hurt her, neither…although he had ample opportunity to do so, she had slept in his arms twice, out cold to the world, as he laid in her bed beside her. But that didn’t mean anything, she decided. _Maybe he likes to play with his food before he eats_ , she thought scornfully.  
  
  
As her flight landed and she took a taxi back to her studio, Ramona considered the many possibilities and complications of her actions. Perhaps leaving the safety of Forks wasn’t the smartest decision in the world, but Ramona was determined to not let Aro ruin this for her. Yet, there was the complicated matter of Aro knowing exactly where she lived and where she worked. She would have to come up with a plan to deal with him and then end things for good. _Somehow_ , so her life would return to normal.  
  
  
Stepping into her apartment felt like setting foot in another reality, and Ramona’s chest ached in pain at her last memory of the place. It had only been days ago when she was last in the apartment. Only days before when Ramona had woken up with Aro; when he stepped into her apartment unannounced, practically breaking down her bathroom door and taking her against the wall. She had been so attracted to him then, attracted to his passion, his _danger…_ but how could she have known that she was in _actual_ danger when she let him into her bed?  
  


The sink still had the dinner plate she had from days prior, clean clothes sat unfolded in the laundry basket by her bed. Her roses from her first performance sat on the kitchen island, beginning to wilt.  
  
  
Ramona robotically crept into bed, chasing a dreamless sleep where she didn’t have to think about vampires, empty promises, or destroyed fairytales.  
  
  


* * *

It was not as simple as Aro had expected it to be to purchase a ticket for the night’s performance, as the show was practically sold out. But Aro had just casually mentioned that he was the boyfriend of Ramona Swan, and _magically_ they were able to pull a few strings and aha, a ticket appeared. He was seated right in the middle of the orchestra section, a perfect location to watch the performance.  
  


The opera house was abuzz with the chattering of humans, and despite his many millennia worth of self-control, he almost felt dizzy being exposed to so many people in such a tight quarter. He persisted though, and his annoyance soon turned to delight at the lights began to dim and the performance started.  
  
  
The humming of the orchestra announced the start of the ballet, and the curtains opened. The violins began to strum a soft melody, trumpets sounded; a melody promising an evening of romance, but also pain…suffering.   
  


This production of Swan Lake began with the prologue, introducing Princess Odette’s transformation. Ramona appeared on stage, adoring a delicate white dress, and twirled innocently across the stage, her dark hair loose, and curled, and inviting. The music changed, the lilt becoming foreboding, and the princess looked around the stage, afraid. She was face to face with the evil sorcerer Rothbart; sweet Odette tries to run away, but she is overpowered. His ballerina runs off stage, but the symbolism is clear; she is transformed into one of his many swans, a prize for him to keep.  
  


Aro watched as the scene changed, opening to the birthday celebration of Prince Siegfried. An ensemble of dancers waltz across the stage in pairs, the prince joins them, only for their merrymaking to be halted by the Queen Mother. She insists he must choose a bride at the royal ball the following evening. In an attempt to lift the prince’s troubled mood, his friend hands him a crossbow and suggests that they go hunting.  
  


The scene changes once more, to a lakeside clearing in a forest, depicting a moonlit night. The Prince searches the lake, and at last he hears a sound, and he watches in fascination as a swan transforms into a beautiful maiden.  
  
  
Ramona was so beautiful. Aro watched the ballerina as she twirled, a graceful and delicate swan of perfect artistry. He was transfixed; she had looked just _so lovely_. White feathers adorned her hair in contrast against her dark curls, and her face was painted and powdered, giving her a luminescent glow. Crystals adorned the bodice of her costume, leading down her torso until it reached her tutu, white and feathered and grand, like a true swan. Ramona had looked so ethereal, so enchanting. In the back of his mind, he can’t help but wonder if this luminescent creature would be similar to how she would look as an immortal.  
  
  
She dances, her arms wide like wings, each movement precise and beautiful and the prince halts his hunt, too transfixed by her beauty to harm her. The prince approaches her with caution, afraid to scare her away. Her movements tell the story that isn’t said with words. Words don’t need to be said, Ramona is telling the story with each arch and move of her body.  
  


The ballerina explains that she and her companions are victims of a spell cast by the evil sorcerer Rothbart. By day, they are turned into swans and only at night, by the side of the enchanted lake, do they return to human form. The spell can only be broken if one who has never loved before swears love to Odette forever.  
  


The prince lays down his crossbow, because he loves her. He sets about winning Odette’s trust.  
  


But can a hunter win the trust of the one that he once hunted? Aro wasn’t certain.  
  
  
The third scene begins, the royal ball commences, and the prince steps out with the Queen Mother to have princesses and ladies be presented to him in an attempt to win his affection. Rothbart appears and presents his daughter, Odile, to the prince, who he foolishly believes to be Odette.   
  


Ramona steps out on stage, changed, an absolute _vision_ in a black crystalled bodice and tutu. Her movements are so changed, so fluid, her body flowing like silk across the stage. She moved with certainty, with reason; there is no hesitation in her steps. Every movement she makes appears effortless. Even her facial expressions have changed; a mischievous smirk adorns every spin, Ramona’s dark eyes glinting. She knows she is wooing the prince with very little effort at all. The Black Swan won his affection; he proclaims to the court that he has chosen his bride.  
  
  
The tempo of the orchestra ramps up, and Odile makes her final dance. She is callous in her movements, spinning around the prince, as if mocking him. The audience begins to clap, which the Black Swan relishes. **His** Ramona is basking in the attention and it is _breathtaking.  
  
_  
At last, the fouettes begin, thirty two in total and truly an impressive feat of athleticism. Aro watched proudly as his little human never missed a beat, or moved off course, remaining perfectly in place as she spun around and around. The Prince’s fouettes are nothing compared to hers; she outdances him as easily as she manipulates and outmaneuvers his heart.  
  


At last, he lifts her up one final time, showing her off to the audience. The Black Swan twirls away from him suddenly, back into the embrace of the evil sorcerer, and a vision of the white swan appears to the prince, who realizes he has made a horrible mistake.  
  
  
In the final scene, the ensemble of swans dance somberly, feeling the heavy weight of despair from sweet Odette, who realized that her prince betrayed her. He can no longer break the spell, as he pronounced his love for somebody else. Ramona is back in her White Swan costume, and the transformation is rather jarring; she transformed so easily from her confident Black Swan to the melancholy White Swan. It is almost difficult to believe it is the same person.  
  


The prince appeared before the White Swan but it was too late. Rather than remain a swan forever, Odette decides that she must die. Aro watched as his beautiful ballerina climbed up upon the structure they made at the back of the stage. With a few last somber movements, she danced towards the edge of the structure and she leapt to her death. The trumpets and violins scream, and the Prince follows her to her death, jumping off the structure as well. The spell is broken and causes the evil Rothbart to die, transforming the rest of the swans back into maidens.   
  


Aro joined the rest of the audience in a standing ovation as the cast made their way to the center stage. He watched Ramona take her final bow, a smile lighting up her entire face as she waved happily to the crowd. She had a certain glow about her, inspired by a performance well-done. Not for the first time, Aro had to admit there was something undeniably sexy about a woman who held her own goals; Ramona radiated a confidence on the stage that burst a firestorm of desire deep in the vampire’s being.  
  
  
Aro leapt up from his seat and maneuvered his way backstage. It took a little bit of convincing as well as the name drop of Ramona Swan, and insistence that he was her boyfriend, to get one of the stage crew members to lead him to her dressing room.  
  


A sudden and extremely unfamiliar pang of nervousness hit him all of a sudden, and Aro realized that for once, he was unsure of what exactly lay ahead of him behind that door. He knocked lightly, trepidation bubbling in his empty chest.  
  
  


The door opened, revealing his pretty little dancer, still dressed in all of her glory, but her long dark hair was taken out of her bun, cascading down her back. Her expression made him frown, however; it was not altogether unpleasant of an expression, but the smile upon her face seemed forced and he noticed a glint of apprehension in her eyes. It was not the warm welcome that he had been hoping for.  
  
  
“Aro, you’re here,” she stated slowly, as if surprised by his presence. Though he had told her that he would come to see her this week. Aro frowned, becoming more and more deeply concerned at the nervousness radiating off of her. He was unable to hold back any longer…he _had_ to find out what she was thinking.  
  
  
“I have missed you _dearly_ ,” was all that he said, before stepping into her dressing room and pulling her close. Aro captured her lips in a deep kiss, moaning into her mouth, relishing in the warmth of her tongue. But her kiss felt hesitant, and it was the final push to cause the vampire to reach inside her mind, desperate to find the reason behind her aloofness.  
  
  
He hadn’t searched long before the word “vampire” screamed at him from her mind, the word being the final executioner of any happiness between the two of them. She _knew_ about him, about what he was, about what he _did_. He was…disappointed. While Aro realized that it was a possibility that his ballerina would find out about him when she went to Forks, he had truly hoped it was not the case. He had enjoyed the simple normalcy that their secret relationship had at the moment; the simple, flirtatious texts, going out on dates, their passionate nighttime romps. And he had mostly enjoyed her willing and eager participation in such activities…Aro had a sneaking suspicion that enthusiasm would unfortunately not be the same now that she knew about him. _A pity_ , really—  
  
  


Aro had to give the girl some credit, though, the way she found out and **extorted** the information from her sister was quite clever. And his little human had enough backbone to refuse no for an answer, throwing a fit at the coven when they attempted to placate her with lies. But once again, Ramona proved her _recklessness_ in coming back to New York City without thinking of the consequences.  
  
  
Not that the vampire was disappointed that she came back to New York; no, if anything, he was quite pleased with his little runaway. It would have been _far_ more difficult for him to take her away from Forks if he had to deal with her sister’s coven. But no, his sweet girl made his job far easier for him. Not that he was surprised; the girl wore her ambition like a badge of honor and not even possible death would keep her away from her work.  
  
  
As he continued kissing her, he could feel Ramona start to pull away from under him. He growled, tightening his grasp on her hips and pushing her towards her vanity, kicking the door shut behind them. Without warning, he hoisted her up onto the vanity and squeezed himself in between her thighs. “ _Not yet_ ,” he groaned, moving from her lips down to her chin and towards her neck. He basked in the sound of her heartbeat as it thrashed wildly in her breast.  
  
  
“You are so beautiful like this,” he admitted.  
  
  
In her mind, Ramona was screaming at herself to run away, push him away, stop herself…do anything but kiss him back. Aro realized that she had no idea he could read her mind, as she began to come up with a plan in her head about what to do with him. He smirked against her skin; _my sweet ballerina,_ he thought, _I will always be one step ahead of you, cara.  
  
_ _  
_She was going to pretend that everything was okay and that she knew nothing. Make up an excuse for why they couldn’t go back to her apartment, insist on meeting in a bar if he wouldn’t take no for an answer. Aro wanted to scoff; as if Ramona could out-maneuver him.  
  


“Your Black Swan was _magnifica, cara mia_ ,” he murmured, running his fingers through her curls, nuzzling her neck. She made a sound as he kissed her neck, and he chuckled, knowing she was becoming fearful he would bite her. “I have never seen such a wonderful performance. You are truly divine.” Aro showered her with compliments, knowing that his ballerina enjoyed being admired, and wanting to throw her off.  
  
  
She finally spoke up, “Th—thank you,” she managed, struggling to focus as the vampire was practically _worshipping_ her. Her eyelashes fluttered, “Aro—Aro, I-I need to get changed.” she attempted to push him off. He groaned appreciatively.  
  
  
“Then let me help you with that, _tesoro_ ,” he purred in her ear, running his hands down her shoulders towards the bodice of her costume. She grabbed at his hand, trying to stop him.  
  
  
“No—no, Aro, this is my place of work, I can’t—” Ramona protested. In an attempt to distract him, she grabbed his head and pressed her lips against his lips. It worked for the moment as he stopped his ministrations. She sighed against his mouth, “Not _here_ ,” she said, and looked him in the eyes. “ _After._ ” she said sternly, and Aro was frankly impressed that she was able to remain so strong even when she now knew as a vampire he could easily take her if he wanted. “Let me get dressed, Aro, I’ll be right out.”  
  
  
Aro was constantly surprised by the little human, and he nodded, humoring her as he left the room and stood outside the door. And when she was ready, he’d be waiting for her.   
  
  


* * *

  
  
Despite the fact that Aro had told her that he would try to attend one of her performances, Ramona had desperately hoped that it wouldn’t be tonight’s performance. She hoped she would have more time to come up with a plan, to call her sister or brother-in-law and see if they would come to New York City…leaving the safety of the Cullen family wasn’t her brightest idea, she realized sullenly. She definitely did not handle the situation with any form of grace or dignity that she would have liked.  
  
  
The performance had gone just about as well as any other night, which she was pleasantly surprised about as she was slightly nervous she would be in her head tonight. That all of the stress and unpleasantness regarding her sister and Aro would negatively impact her dancing. But somehow, once she made her way onto that stage, she let everything that plagued her go and just focused on telling the story of Swan Lake.  
  
  
A knock on the door interrupted her as she began to settle into her dressing room, taking her hair out of her tight bun and removing her pointe shoes. Figuring it was Derrick to commend her for a well done performance, Ramona tiredly opened the door, to reveal Aro waiting on the other side, impeccably dressed and wearing a black peacoat. An eager, honest smile greeted her and she felt her heart drop; while she was almost positive that he was manipulating her feelings and didn’t care for her one bit, it still hurt to realize that she was going to end things with this man. End something that she once thought was going to be so amazing.  
  
  
“Aro, you’re here,” was all she could manage. She watched as his happy expression turned to one of concern. Was she so obvious that he could already tell something was wrong?  
  
  
“I have missed you _dearly_.” He then crossed that invisible threshold into her dressing room and kissed her, and she cursed at how easily he was able to get his way. Ramona allowed the kiss to linger on for a bit before she tried pulling away. Apparently this was not what Aro had in mind; her resistance seemed to only strengthen his commitment and he slammed the door behind her and pushed her onto the vanity. “ _Not yet_ …you are so beautiful like this,” he admitted.  
  
  
She hated herself for how easily she was letting herself succumb to him; she should be _running away, pushing him away, DO ANYTHING but kiss him back.  
  
_  
Ramona decided she’d allow this. One last time; they’d share one last intimate moment together now, and then she would end things forever. She would pretend that nothing had changed, and then she would tell him that they would have to end things…in a bar, or a restaurant…somewhere where there were people around. _Fuck_ , it was a _shitty idea_ that would probably not work, but she had absolutely nothing else to go with.  
  


“Your Black Swan was _magnifica, cara mia_ ,” he whispered into her neck, his cool lips leaving soft kisses on her skin, “I have never seen such a wonderful performance. You are truly divine.”  
  
  
He was trying to win her over by showering her with compliments, she knew it. Well, she wasn’t going to be that easily persuaded. “Th—thank you,” she managed, “Aro—Aro, I-I need to get changed.” she attempted to push him off. The man seemed to take that in a whole different direction, unfortunately.   
  


“Then let me help you with that, _tesoro_ .” She cursed inwardly as he made his way towards her chest and she grabbed his hand. Not only did she _not_ want to do this with him, she was pretty certain she could get fired if she was found having sex in her dressing room. And she was **_not_ ** going to let him mess things up for her.  
  


“No—no, Aro, this is my place of work, I can’t—” He wasn’t paying her any attention, too focused on removing her costume. She rolled her eyes, _all men were the same_ , vampires or not. She distracted him by pulling him in for a kiss, which surprisingly worked. “Not _here_ ,” she said, and looked him in the eyes. “ _After._ ” Not that she wanted there to be an after…but she had to get him to stop. “Let me get dressed, Aro, I’ll be right out.”  
  
  
He reluctantly agreed, and he left her dressing room, leaving her alone after that onslaught of warring pleasure and emotions. With a large sigh, she leaned back on the other side of the door and tried to catch her breath.  
  
  
 _I am in so much trouble_ , she thought to herself.  
  
  
Wordlessly, she removed the White Swan costume and cleared her face of all of the makeup, before changing back into a warm sweater and a pair of jeans. She threw on a pair of boots and her jacket and opened the door, where Aro was waiting for her, lounging against the wall and scrolling on his cellphone. He perked up when he saw her, “Ramona,” he dipped his arm underneath hers and linked their arms together. “Are you ready, carina?”  
  
  
She closed the dressing room door behind her and they made their way through the opera house until they reached the outside. It was dark and cold out, but the sky was clear for once and she could see the moon as they wandered through the streets of New York. Only halfway did she realize that they were slowly strolling their way towards her apartment. Ramona halted her steps; Aro was looking at her with an amused expression on his face.  
  
  
“Wait—” she started. He was looking at her expectantly and she felt so awkward coming up with a lie off of the top of her head. “—we-we should go out, you know? To celebrate. You want to go to a bar? I know of a couple good places, I—”  
  
  
Aro hummed, “ _No_ ,” he answered, tightening his grip, “I have a _surprise_ waiting for you back at your apartment.”  
  
  
Ramona cursed inwardly, a _surprise?_ _fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck…_ “But—”  
  
  
With easy strength, he used the support from their linked arms to push her on forwards towards the apartment. She stumbled next to him, trying to keep up. “You’ll do as I say.” was all he answered. Ramona realized with great horror that the dynamic _instantaneously_ changed between the two of them. All playfulness and flirtation jumped out the window. He wouldn’t even look at her, and she knew that she was incomprehensibly screwed.  
  
  
 _That’s what you get for running away from Forks_ , she thought sullenly, _for putting work above everything else in your life. For not being more open and honest with your own sister_ —  
  
  
Stepping into her apartment and having the door close behind her made her feel like a prey being trapped by its predator, cornered and vulnerable. A crystal vase of the most beautiful bouquet of long stemmed red roses and white lilies sat waiting for her on the kitchen island. _Was this his surprise?_ She had half expected his surprise to be a handful of dead bodies littered in her living room, perhaps even her sister’s. Certainly not _flowers_.  
  


Ramona hesitantly walked up to the island to admire the flowers more closely; she felt him pressed up behind her, his hands entrapping her. He nuzzled into her curls until he found her neck.  
  
  
“Are you surprised?” he whispered, planting a soft kiss against her skin. And yet, it felt like a threat.  
  
  
It was hopeless, she realized. “They’re—beautiful.”  
  
  
“Yes, they are, like _you_ , cara mia,” his words vibrated against her neck. He paused, his lips hovering against her skin like a magnet, “Do you know what surprises _me_ , Ramona?”  
  
  
Ramona dared not say anything. She was terrified. He continued. “What _surprises me_ , carina, was how _easily_ you let a vampire into your life and into your home.” He kissed her neck then, sucking it deep and likely bruising it in the process. Her nails dug into the table. She shrugged her shoulders in an attempt to move him off of her, but it was no use.  
  
  
Aro was encouraged by her response, “Oh, I know, you _didn’t know_ ,” he cooed. “Well, until you _did_. Oh carina, _what did you expect would happen_ if you came back here? You weren’t thinking at _all_ , were you?” he mocked.  
  
  
“H-How do you know that I know—”  
  
  
“I know _a lot_ more than you realize, sweet Ramona,” he purred, his hands making their way towards her hips. He gave her a tight squeeze, “I know all of your thoughts,” he kissed her neck, “your feelings,” another kiss, “your _memories._ All of that is mine with a single touch. As is my **power**. It has been this entire time.”  
  
  
“Get—get _off_ of me,” she growled, jerking her body more sharply this time.  
  
  
Aro acted like nothing happened. “I know how much you’ve _wanted me_.” he smirked, “How much you _still_ want me, despite it all—” She continued to struggle against him, putting up more of a fight than before. But she felt weak in his arms. “Don’t refuse yourself something that you want, Ramona.”  
  
  
Ramona protested more loudly this time, becoming more resistant by the moment. He grabbed onto her hand as it tried to smack him away.  
  


Aro tutted, “Oh come now, Ramona, you’ve already _let_ me have you twice, what’s one more—” he stopped, his eyes glazing over, appearing distant, foggy. Ramona watched him, confused that he halted _everything_ so suddenly. He was as still as a statue; only his eyes moved, as if he were in a trance. His eyes darted back and forth like he was watching a television show or…or reliving a memory. _One of_ ** _her_** _memories_ , she realized with horror. But what memory could it be that he was looking at to make him stop _everything_?  
  
  
The cloudiness in his eyes began to clear and he darted those sharp, dangerous eyes towards her with a horrible, terrifying expression. His eyebrows furrowed and he appeared exceptionally **_enraged_** , looking angrier than she had ever dared to see him before. It was at that moment that she saw the monster in her ex-lover, how terribly _dangerous_ he truly was. He was just playing with her before, just toying with her…but now he looked like he wanted to sink his fangs right inside her neck.  
  
  
 _What on earth did he see that made him so angry?_ She wondered. She tried to figure it out, but couldn’t. _Was it that her sister told her she was a vampire? Was he angry with the Cullens?  
  
_ _  
_“ **WHAT**. have. you. _done_.” he whispered. The man looked like he was about to rip somebody’s head off. Unfortunately for Ramona, she was the only other person in the room. But she was confused as she took in his words; what did _she_ do?  
  
  
Ramona didn’t have to pretend to be confused, “I don’t understand—”  
  
  
Aro’s face twisted in anger and he scowled at Ramona, “Oh, you **_stupid_** whore—”  
  
  
It was Ramona’s turn to become angry. Immediately forgetting she was dealing with a vampire, she hit him indignantly in the chest. He didn’t stop her, too still and too angry to move. “ ** _Excuse me_**? Where do you get off calling me a whore—”  
  
  
Aro looked like he was about to burst, his teeth were clenched and his face was contorted into a dark sneer, “You know, by our law, I am not even allowed to let you _live,_ ” he growled deeply. His words and actions were becoming more cruel, a proverbial knife in the chest. “I should kill you, you _brat_ ,” the knife was _twisted_ , and she felt like she was suffocating underneath him.  
  
  
She was _terrified,_ terrified of the creature he was becoming right in front of her, one that was threatening her. Ramona tried to stop herself from trembling, not wanting to appear afraid, wanting to seem brave…but it was pointless, she couldn’t help it. Tears began to slowly form and she felt one drip down her cheek. She had nothing to fight him off with; her eyes glanced briefly to the knife block on the kitchen island, just out of reach. Even if she _could_ reach it, she wasn’t even certain that it would even do anything to him—  
  
  
Aro’s eyes followed her gaze and he also saw the knife block, and of course, because he was so _terribly him_ , he knew _exactly_ her train of thought. He looked amused, however, insead of becoming angrier. More tears began to escape her unwillingly and Aro took in her wrecked form quietly. He seemed to compose himself a bit at her distressed image.  
  
  
Aro slowly reached out and grabbed the largest butcher knife, the one with the rather large wooden handle, and held it by the pointed end. Ramona was confused for a second but realized resentfully that the blade didn’t cause him any pain. _What is he going to do with that?,_ she fearfully wondered, imagining him slitting her throat before devouring her.   
  


He considered the object in his hand for a brief moment, before his arm reached out behind her and she felt a painful whack at the back of her head. She faded, and saw black—  
  


* * *

**Pfftttttt - these bitches (Ramona and Aro)...I swear, I hate them sometimes.  
  
**

**You can't spell Arrogant without Aro. (oh wait, you can...ignore the second 'r' I thought I was being clever...)  
  
**

**Hopefully you all didn't get too bored with the Swan Lake scene? I did my best to kind of condense, but I also wanted to write it because the story is really amazing and I feel like there's a lot of symbolism in there with our favorite chaotic couple.**


	13. An Eight Hour Plane Ride Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Happy Wednesday! 
> 
> This chapter was originally going to be combined with the next chapter, but I decided to separate them because it was getting really long. I also felt it made more sense to chop up the jet portion of the chapter and the portion when they arrive to the condo, so that's why I split it too. This chapter is a bit shorter than the others because of this, but I have longer chapters awaiting!
> 
> Also, I realized something the other night as I was writing.... this story might be a lot longer than I realized lol I'm talking like....over 30 chapters possibly. Or over 40... if I continue to chop up chapters like this hahaha What I'm saying is...or I guess what I'm asking....are people okay with it being so long? I guess I'm kind of nervous that people will get over it/be bored if it's too long. Let me know...with each chapter, I'm starting to write more and more and I don't want to sacrifice good writing for the sake of condensing it, so idk...just a thought. 
> 
> Also, I am actually LIVING for how funny some of you are in the comment section. Y'all make me laugh so hard.

* * *

The girl was resting peacefully, her head leaning against the window of the jet, her soft snores the only sound being made besides the humming of the plane. The flight to Italy would take a little over eight hours, and Aro had hoped that he knocked her out well enough so that she would sleep the entire flight. He had hardly wanted to deal with a tantrum in the tight vicinity of the jet, nor in front of Demetri.

  
Aro had hardly composed himself in a decent manner either, though, if he thought about it. He thought back to her sorrowful expression back in her apartment, as the tears that she desperately tried to hide from him rolled down her cheeks. He had acted cruel, he knew. He didn’t even tell her _why_ he was so angry with her.  
  


Well that would have to change. Aro should have considered the possibility of Ramona taking precautions against pregnancy. While he was not familiar with this Plan B, the overall concept was simple enough to understand from her memories. Aro could hardly have blamed her for taking it; from her own memories, she believed she was being responsible. Even though it irritated him, he was recognized with some satisfaction that his human wasn’t brainless and she had a good head on her shoulders. He had had enough of dim females.  
  
  
Ramona wasn’t _spineless_ either, which he had found _quite amusing_ as she considered _stabbing_ him back in her kitchen. Not that it would have done anything, but he saw that the girl had enough bravado to go through with it if she could have. Which was both _incredibly attractive_ and **_maddening_** at the same time.  
  
  
He would have to tell her about his desire to have a child when they returned to the condominium. Although he was not looking forward to that conversation either—from her memories, he understood that Ramona was not particularly interested in having a baby. Her awkward interactions with her own niece demonstrated a rather concerning aversion to children. Aro could only hope that motherhood would change her tune.  
  
  
Because Aro _truly did_ want the mother of his child to be Ramona.   
  
  
Since they arrived on the plane, his guard had not asked a single question about the sleeping human since boarding the jet, and Aro appreciated his silence as he tried to figure out how he would best approach this conversation.  
  


The less who knew about Ramona, the better, he decided. Still, he could not watch her alone. And Demetri was already in on his secret, having practically been since the beginning.  
  
  
“We will not immediately be returning to Volterra,” Aro announced, breaking the silence. Demetri said nothing, continuing to stare at his master expectantly. Aro continued, “We will be heading to Florence after we land.”  
  
  


“Yes, Master Aro,” Demetri responded. His eyes glanced quickly over to the sleeping girl, then back to his master. A silent question.  
  
  
He knew that what he was about to say would truly test the guard’s loyalty. “Demetri, at this moment, you and I are the only ones who know about my little,” he glanced at Ramona thoughtfully, “…stowaway. I intend to have that be continued; even from my brothers.”  
  
  


Asking the guard to continue to lie to his other masters was a lot, but Aro was certain of Demetri’s loyalty. The guard nodded in understanding. “As such, I cannot keep her in the castle without raising suspicions. I have made arrangements to house her in Florence for the time being.”  
  
  


Demetri frowned, “Will you be staying with her full time, Master Aro?” he asked. The king shook his head.  
  
  
“I would hardly be able to escape suspicion if I was constantly away,” he responded ruefully, “So, I will need assistance from a loyal and trustworthy guard member that I can trust with this special task.”  
  
  


The guard bowed, “Name it, Master Aro, and it will be done.”  
  


Aro was pleased that he had been correct in his evaluation of the guard. “You will be assigned to watch over the girl when I am away,” he explained, “The girl shouldn’t be able to leave the premise, but our little stowaway has a particular knack for running away, so in case she somehow manages, I will need you to prevent her from doing anything… _reckless_ .”  
  


The guard nodded, “I understand, Master.”  
  
  
Confident that everything was running smoothly and according to his wishes, Aro allowed himself to relax as he watched the girl sleep for the next several hours. Ramona looked so peaceful, snoozing without a care in the world, her chest heaving up and down in a smooth, steady rhythm. He felt sorry, then, that the girl would have to wake from her dreamless slumber to what he was sure she would consider an actual nightmare.  
  
  


* * *

The first thing that she noticed was that her head was pounding ferociously when she finally woke up. It was a painful throbbing that she just knew would last for hours. She briefly wondered in the back of her mind if she had a concussion. Memories of what happened before she blacked out entered her head, as she recalled Aro hitting her in the back of the skull with the handle of a butcher knife. _That bastard_ —  
  


Ramona slowly opened her eyes but then shut them immediately; she felt dizzy, as whatever room she was currently in began to spin around her. Her throat was dry and she felt as if she had been sleeping for days, rather than hours.  
  
  
His melodious voice purred delicately through the silence. “Ah, _carina_ , you’ve awakened.” Ramona’s heart dropped at the familiar voice. Taking a deep breath, she bravely opened her eyes and took look for the owner of that charming voice. Aro sat across from her, looking at her expectantly. But—he had _changed_.  
  
  


In place of the beautifully simple and familiar hazel eyes that Ramona had come accustomed to the last few months…the eyes that looked at her with devotion, and warmth, and even, at times, desperation…a stranger’s eyes looked back at her. And strange ones indeed. In their place were strange, inhuman red eyes, as if to remind her of the monster that he truly was. As if she could have forgotten—  
  


She hated it, she decided.  
  


Ramona tore her eyes away from the vampire and examined her surroundings. She immediately recognized that she was in a plane, and she looked out the window to confirm that they were way up in the air, high in the clouds. She was _trapped_ , she realized.   
  


But they were not alone. Another man, another _vampire,_ younger and with the same unnatural red eyes as Aro, sitting further away from the two of them. Ramona got the impression that the man seemed to be purposely looking anywhere in the plane but at her and Aro.  
  


She curled her legs up to her chest, as if they would provide some comfort. “What are you going to do with me?” she finally asked. She glared at the vampire, as if doing so would chase him away.

Aro smirked knowingly, “Right to the point I see,” he hummed, “ _Good._ I think that we know each other **_intimately_ ** enough by now to skip over idle pleasantries.”  
  


Ramona blushed but said nothing. She refused to let him bait her so easily. When it became apparent she wouldn’t take the bait, he continued.  
  
  
“We should arrive at our destination in approximately,” he made a noncommittal sound and looked at his watch, “two hours. At that time, you will accompany me to another location where you will be staying.”  
  
  
Ramona blinked, trying to follow. She frowned, “Staying for how long, exactly?”  
  
  
Aro was silent for a long moment. She had a feeling that she was going to hate whatever he said next. Finally, he answered, “For however long I want you to.”  
  
  
Ramona stared at him silently for a while, her eyes burning a hole through his soul, before turning away and looking dejectedly out the window. She pushed down any tears that threatened to unleash, deciding to hold on to her anger and hatred instead.  
  
  
She ignored Aro, who watched her curiously from the corner of his eyes, as if waiting for her to explode. She didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of getting any more emotion out of her, good or bad.  
  
  
But she should have known better than to think he would leave her alone. The man she had come to know so well had loved the sound of his voice far too much. The prat.  
  
  
“Here, carina, you must be thirsty and hungry from your long sleep,” Aro grabbed what appeared to be her backpack and started rifling through it. He took out her stainless steel water bottle. “We grabbed some things from your apartment before we left—”  
  
  
“I’m good,” she said stubbornly, her gaze remaining fixed on a cloud that she couldn’t decide looked more like a bat or a butterfly. The pessimist inside her was leaning towards a bat.  
  
  
“Carina, you must have _something_ ,” he tried to persuade her, extending the water bottle out towards her. She eyed it as if it were poison. He seemed to read her thoughts without having to touch her. “Ramona, it is not poisoned. Why would I poison you?”  
  
  
She didn’t answer his question, but responded back with a petty, “You drink it then.”  
  
  
Aro looked at the human annoyed. “I do not drink water,” he said plainly. She glanced at the water, back up at Aro, and then back out the window.  
  
  
“I’m fine,” she announced. Ramona could _feel_ the vampire quietly seething, and she smirked inwardly, celebrating her small victory. Aro did not give up so easily, however.  
  
  
“Ramona, you must have something or you’ll starve—”  
  
  
“ _Good_ ,” she spat, and turned to glare at Aro. Finally, the pleading expression he had on his face turned dark and he glared back at her. Ramona could feel the tension on the plane skyrocket dramatically between the two of them, but she didn’t back down. She suddenly _hated_ him, more than anyone she ever hated in her entire life.  
  
  
Of course Aro was the first to break the silence. “You are acting like a _child_ ,” he said hatefully. She scowled. He continued, incensed, “You sit there _wallowing_ in _self pity._ I suppose that you think that you’re rather—”  
  
  


“Am I a _child_ or am I a **_whore_**?” she spat, the words flowing so easily from her mouth.  
  
  
He stopped, trying to compose himself. “That word…was unkind.”  
  
  
Ramona glowered at the man. _Unkind word indeed._ She had been called a lot of things throughout her life, and had insults thrown her way during many a breakup, but she hadn’t recalled any time in her life when she’d been called a whore. It was utterly bizarre and uncalled for…  
  


Aro tried another approach. He rifled through her back until he found a small bottle of Aspirin. He opened the bottle and took out two pills, and he extended them towards her once again with the bottle of water. “Take this at least for the pain.”  
  
  
Her jaw twitched in annoyance. She wanted none of his fake kindness. “No.”  
  
  
The vampire looked exasperated “ _Ramona_ —”  
  


“Did you eat my cat?” she cut him off, the question searing through the air, sharp as a knife. It must have thrown Aro off because his face changed from exasperation to mild discomfort in an instant. It was enough of an answer, but Ramona wanted to hear him say it. She glared, and repeated the question. “ _Did. You. Eat. My. Cat?”  
  
_  
At least the man had enough decency left in him to look vaguely ashamed. She watched as his eyes darted quickly over to the other vampire in the plane. _He is embarrassed_ , she realized. Well, she didn’t get a damn. She was about to repeat the question for a third time before he cut her off.  
  
  
“For that…I apologize, I—”  
  
  
“What _the fuck_ ,” she muttered quietly, mostly to herself.  
  
  
“Ramona, what you fail to understand is—”  
  
  
“I LOVED THAT CAT!” she finally _shrieked_ , the tension in the room that was previously passive aggressive turning to full of aggression as she amped up. Even the vampire who was pretending that he wasn’t paying any attention perked up, cautiously staring at the angry female. She scowled at her ex-lover, “I can’t _believe_ you.”  
  
  
Aro was looking personally affronted but was doing a much better job at keeping his composure. His tone turned ice cold. “It was you or the cat, my dear. Be happy that I chose the latter.”  
  
  
Her anger burned down a little as the truth behind his words chilled deep in her bones. She gave him a final glare before looking back out the window. “Don’t talk to me for the rest of the flight,” she muttered. For once, the vampire didn’t argue, and they all spent the rest of the flight in complete silence.   
  


* * *

The girl refused to speak or look at him for the rest of the flight, which Aro decided was fine by him as he had felt rather fed up with her as well. He had expected the girl to put up some kind of tantrum and he was not far off; refusing to eat and _pouting_ like a child who didn’t get her way were some behaviors that he didn’t surprise him. But he _had_ been thrown off by the ridiculous cat debacle, and had not expected _that_ to be the final nail in the coffin to cause the girl to **_pitch a fit_**.  
  
  
Aro somehow _knew_ that the wretched beast would come back to haunt him.  
  
  
When they landed in Volterra, he had handed over Ramona’s bags to Demetri, so he could grab onto Ramona’s hand. She glared at him but didn’t bother to pull away, knowing he was too strong for her. But she squeezed his hand back harder and let her nails dig into his skin. Of course, it didn’t hurt, but Aro couldn’t help but find the behavior awfully _annoying.  
  
_ _  
_The drive from Volterra to Florence was only a little over an hour. Aro and Demetri could have arrived faster on foot, but Aro didn’t want to press his human more than she already was, nor did he want to deal with another tantrum if he made to carry her in his arms.  
  
  
It was hard to believe that this was the same girl that had so happily been all over him and willing to fly overseas to be with him only days before.  
  
  
They arrived at the duplex condo in the mid-evening, the sky beginning to darken as the sun started to set on the horizon. Aro brought Ramona inside, taking her bags from Demetri, and bidding him goodbye, with the instructions to go back to the castle and inform his brothers that he would be returning late. He closed the door behind him, locking her in what would unfortunately be a figurative prison for her in the foreseeable future. Until he figured out what to do with her…  
  
  


She walked around the apartment, checking out the space with a strange look upon her face. It was far larger than her small studio back in New York; it wasn’t huge, by any means, but it had more space and more rooms. The walls were old red brick and there was exposed wood paneling on the ceiling, but it gave the room a charming, homey feel to it. A large window towards the back would let in a lot of nice natural sunlight during the day. There was a good sized kitchen, larger than what Ramona had in New York, modernized and set up with brand new appliances. The living room was large, already set up with a large black leather couch and television, a large bookshelf and a cherry wood coffee table.  
  
  
Aro watched her in apprehension, before finally speaking up, “Do you like it?” he asked. He had hoped she would; it was modern enough yet had a spark of old, romantic feel to it that he thought his sweet ballerina would appreciate.  
  
  
Ramona gave him a long stare. “It’s a beautiful prison.” was all she said.   
  


Aro shrugged off his blazer, strode over to the couch in the living room and took a seat. He patted the cushion next to him, inviting her over. “Come here, Ramona, there is much we have to discuss.”  
  
  
The flames within him diminished at the cold look she gave him. Only smoke remained.  
  
  


* * *

**Not gonna lie....I had a lot of fun making them argue lol**

**I think it's because until this point, Ramona had been so over the moon for him (well except when he pissed her off after ghosting her for months, but she got over it pretty quickly). And Aro had been having a lot of fun playing with her, especially because he was able to pull her strings so easily...and now it's gonna be a _bit_ different for him, and I love challenging that motherfucker because he deserves it.  
  
  
Anyways, once again thank you for all of your reviews, I'm so happy to see people are enjoying this story!!! I have more chapters ready for me to pop off, so don't you worry, this story is _far_ from over.**

**post thought: I'm laughing really hard right now as I'm re-reading this on AO3 as I realized...who the fuck was flying the jet?!!? lmfaooo. I hate myself. I guess Demetri could have been? Or maybe they have like...a human employed to fly? Idk, I'm just laughing hard because I'm like - Theresa, you forgot that someone actually needs to be FLYING THE JET lmfaoooo. Well maybe it was on autopilot. Who knows. Not the writer, apparently.**


	14. Discussions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Saturday!!!
> 
> I hope you are all doing well. I am okay. I found out someone at my work tested positive for coronavirus, so I got tested today and I'm waiting to get my results back. I feel fine, so hopefully everything should be A-OK. 
> 
> You readers are all so lovely and your reviews mean everything. I'm starting to get nervous and I hope that I can provide you with a story that you like!! I'm so nervous about taking the story in a direction you hate or something.

**On Twitter this week, someone posted asking for Michael Sheen to release more never-before-seen Aro pictures. I then made a joke that if he did, I'd post it on my fan-fiction, NO MATTER HOW RIDICULOUS. Well...Mr. Sheen came through. Here you all go, I am true to my words.**

* * *

Why Aro had brought her to a small condominium in Florence was beyond her comprehension, as she imagined that this was not his permanent residence by any means. He had mentioned to the other vampire a castle, and Ramona imagined a dark, creepy Transylvanian vampire castle full of hundreds of blood-sucking creatures. She was suddenly grateful that he did not bring her there.   
  
  
He asked her if she liked it, as if it were a gift. Ramona had to admit that it was beautiful; a beautiful prison to keep her in for “ _however long he wanted”._ She didn’t understand though—if he was going to kill her, why wouldn’t he just _get it over with_? Why keep her encaged like an animal? None of it made any sense to her.   
  
  
“Come here, Ramona, there is much to discuss,” he finally said. And although she hated him, she found herself complying, a puppet being pulled on a string. It was unfair, but he was in control here, not her. She sat next to him on the couch, and waited for him to begin.   
  


“I am not going to hurt you,” Aro murmured, reaching out to tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. _You said “I should kill you, you brat”_ , she thought. Ramona was curious if he really _could_ read her mind. He immediately proved that he could, and he looked remorseful, “I should not have said that,” he touched her cheek, “I did not mean it, cara, I was angry. I could never harm you.”  
  
  
_You harmed my heart_ , she thought, but didn’t say out loud. Not that she needed to, she didn’t have to say a word. He knew everything. Which was completely and utterly unfair; not even her thoughts were her own with him. _This power dynamic is_ _grossly_ _unequal_.  
  


Aro didn’t let go of her chin. “That is something that cannot be changed, carina.”  
  
  
_Bastard_ , she thought. She finally spoke the words out loud that were on her mind. “Why were you so angry with me anyway? What did _I_ even do to _you_?”  
  
  
The vampire studied her for a moment. “Your sister told you nothing about her daughter, Renesmee,” he said, and she realized she was right. In the chaos of finding out about her sister and the Cullen family being vampires, she had completely forgotten about the strangeness of the child. The child that apparently aged from infancy in a span of months. The child that was so _clearly_ related to her. “I take it that you understand that the child was indeed not adopted.”  
  
  
Ramona’s brain was working overtime; she was trying to understand how that strange child had _anything_ to do with her or why she was kidnapped and brought to Florence. “She’s—she’s my niece. Bella’s biological daughter,” she looked at Aro and he pretty much confirmed it. She frowned, “That is— _odd_. And something that I wouldn’t expect a… _vampire_ would be able to have. But what—what does that have to do with _me_?”  
  
  
“The child is a hybrid, half human and half vampire, conceived naturally by a male vampire and a human female—something that I had never heard of in the thousands of years that I have lived,” Ramona coughed at his age, choking. He continued, unbothered, “Can you imagine what it is like? Living for thousands of years, believing that you know everything that there is to know, only for something incredibly and wonderfully _new_ to come and surprise you out of nowhere?”  
  
  
She wasn’t able to answer him….she was still trying to cope with the mind shattering revelation that Aro was over a _thousand years old_. Aro continued, “I saw her when I went to visit the Cullens. And it made me realize that this is something that I have been—” he looked nervous for a moment. His body language completely changed. “—missing, all this time. Something that I _very much_ ,” his thumb brushed her cheek lightly, “desire.”  
  
  
His touch was so gentle and soft that she could almost feel herself lean into his hand.   
  


But his words laid heavy on her mind.  Ramona could understand, to a degree, why the man would be obsessed with finding something new…if he was alive for thousands of years, it would make sense that anything unfamiliar would be intriguing to him. But what did him wanting a hybrid have to do with—  
  


  
Oh.  
  
  
  
_Oh.  
  
  
_ _  
_ The sinking realization of _what exactly_ that had to do with Ramona took root in the pit of her stomach and she backed away slowly, twisting her chin out of his grasp. From his expression, he knew she knew exactly what he was talking about…but she couldn’t believe it. Of all of the _ridiculous reasons_ —  
  
  
“You are joking with me,” was all she could muster up. The idea was so absurd…so ludicrously _primitive_ of him. Ramona figured that there must have been something she was missing, that she must be overlooking because there was no _actual way_ —  
  
  
“I am very serious,” and he reached back out to her. She slapped his hand away and launched herself from the couch. She ran a hand through her hair.  
  


“You _cannot_ be serious,” she responded, backing away slowly. He slowly rose from the couch, following her like a hawk. Ramona gave him a look of incredulity. “Of all the—I thought you were going to _eat_ me. Is that—” she stopped, her mind replaying the events that happened and how Aro had become _so angry_ with her when he read her mind earlier. How he called her a **_whore_** _._ No…there was no way… “Is-is that why you were so angry with me? Because I took a _Plan B_ pill??!?”   
  
  
Aro’s face darkened, “Ramona, do **not** test my patience—”  
  
  
“Of _all of the ridiculous things_ —I thought you were a terrifying vampire, planning to kidnap me and suck my blood or something horrible like _that_. I don’t know what’s worse! That, or you just being another primeval male who just cares about _getting his rocks off_ —”  
  
  


“It’s not like that, Ramona.” he tried, moving forward towards her.   
  
  


“And calling me a **_whore_** , because you don’t like how I exercised my own bodily _rights!”_ she yelled at him. Aro rolled his eyes, and followed that up with a disrespectful snort of derision.   
  
  
She continued to back away, until her back hit the wall. She cursed, feeling trapped once again. He took the opportunity to get _oh-so-close_ to her, his face darkening as he pushed against her with his hip. His groin against hers, his chest against her breasts; he grabbed her arms and pinned them up above her head. Ramona turned her head away from him, not wanting to look at him, not wanting to give him the satisfaction. He chuckled lowly, “If you just listened, you would understand, tesoro. You might even get to _enjoy yourself_ —”  
  


“I am not some  **_broodmare_ ** .” she snapped angrily. She finally turned to face him.   
  


Aro groaned against her appreciatively, “Mmm, maybe not—but even you cannot deny that we have had some  _ very good  _ times together, cara mia.” he let go over her arms and instead moved to hold her chin, tilting her head up towards him. He fought through her resistance and captured her lips. Ramona made a noise of defiance in the back of her throat.  
  


He sighed against her mouth, “I _know_ you do not like children, cara, but _perhaps_ I could change your mind—”  
  
  
Ramona felt a sudden vibration against her chest, and Aro stopped his onslaught against her to look down at his jacket pocket. A blue light appeared from his pocket, and a buzzing sound continued to vibrate. Her cellphone—she didn’t even think about it, he must have taken it from her when he knocked her unconscious.   
  
  
Aro took out the cellphone from his breast pocket slowly, and glanced at the screen to see who was calling her. He became immediately annoyed. “You have a phone call,” he announced. _Now_ she was curious, was he really going to let her take it? “It is your sister.” he said dryly, “Do you want to talk to her?”  
  
  
She eyed him warily, not trusting that it was going to be that simple. “…yes.”  
  
  
He hummed, “Then I will need you to do something for me,” he whispered into her ear. Her jaw clenched and she glared at the vampire. “You will need to lie to her. To everyone, about why you are here. You will say that you came of your own free will.”  
  
  
Ramona swallowed, “And _why_ would I say that?”  
  
  
“You will say that because if you do not, I will have to _deal_ with your sister and her family, which I would rather not have to do,” he said simply, “Your sister broke our most sacred law, cara mia…I could have her easily dealt with and it would be within my total authority and right to do so.”  
  
  
“Don’t—” she pleaded, hating herself for sounding so desperate. But her sister’s life was worth it. “Please, it-it wasn’t her fault, I _tricked_ her—”  
  
  
“Oh, _I knowww_ ,” he purred, smirking. He gave her a playful bite on the lips. “I enjoyed that _very much_ , carina, how **devious** you truly are. Alas, poor Bella still told you about the existence of our kind. Discrepancies aside, she should be punished—”  
  
  
“Fine.” Ramona answered, not wanting to hear anymore about how he would punish her sister for her own actions. She extended her hand, waiting to be given the cellphone. “I’ll say that I came of my own free will.”  
  
  
“Good.” he handed her over the cellphone. She had about ten missed text messages and five missed phone calls. Sighing, she decided to call back Bella since she was the last person to have called. The phone only needed to ring a few times before her sister picked up.  
  
  
“ ** _Hello?! Ramona?!”_** her sister’s voice rang clearly through the phone, loud and nervous. She felt horrible that she had caused her sister so much anxiety.   
  
  
And that she was going to lie to her some more. She forced herself to smile, wanting to sound like she was okay over the phone. “ ** _Bella! Hey! I’m sorry I missed your calls.”  
  
_** ** _  
_** Aro gave her a soft, _deep_ kiss on the neck.  
  
 ** _  
_****_“Ramona, are…are you okay?! Alice…Alice said she saw something, she had a vision.”_** A vision? Aro groaned in approval. **“** ** _She said…she saw you in Italy, with Aro. What happened? Are you still in New York? We’ve been trying to reach you for hours_** —”  
  
  
Ramona blinked, trying to focus but having a hard time with Aro’s soft caresses on her body, “ ** _I_** — ** _I…yes, I’m in Italy. I’m with Aro.”  
  
_**  
Aro’s hands were slowly snaking their way down, before resting on her hips.  
  
  
 _  
_**“** ** _You’re with Aro?! What do you mean you’re with Aro? Did he hurt you?!”  
  
_** ** _  
_** Aro’s fingers slowly unbuttoned her jeans. Ramona struggled to breathe, she closed her eyes, willing herself to focus on the sound of her sister’s voice.   
  
  
_I...I should stop this,_ she thought weakly. But she didn't move.  
  
  
**“** ** _No…no he hasn’t…he hasn’t hurt me, I-I’m okay.”  
  
_** ** _  
_** He pulled down her jeans all the way to her ankles.  
  
  
**_“Ramona, what’s going on? You don’t sound okay.”  
  
_** ** _  
_** Ramona’s eyes fluttered as he began to carefully rub circles on the outside of her panties. **“** ** _I’m fine, Bella, really…I chose to go with him. I wanted to go to Italy with Aro.”  
  
_** ** _  
_** The other side of the phone was silent for a minute. **_“WHY would you go to Italy with Aro?! I told you, he’s dangerous_** —”  
  
  
That seemed to only urge Aro on as he growled into her hair. His rubbing against her clit became harder, deeper. She held back a gasp. “ ** _We’re…it’s complicated Bella. I wouldn’t expect you to understand.”  
  
_** ** _  
_****_“But what about your show?”_** her sister asked.   
  
  
Ramona’s brain went haywire as that piece of information struck a chord…how could she have _forgotten_ about her show? In all of the chaos, Ramona had completely forgotten about her show. Her show that she worked _so hard_ on, that she wanted more than anything. And here she was in Italy, thousands of miles away.   
  
  
Aro sensed her sudden anxiety and growled, “End the phone call. Make up an excuse.” He didn’t stop rubbing her clit, only increased the pressure more and despite how upset Ramona was, she couldn’t stop herself from bucking into his touch.  
  
  
**_“Bella, he- he’s brought me here for this amazing ballet opportunity,”_** the lie rolled so easily off her tongue. **_“I’m- I’m joining a new company here in Italy. I really want this_** —” The pressure got harder, his fingers seemingly working against the speed of time. “ ** _I got- I got to go now. Ngk, I’ll call you again. Soon. I promise_** —”  
  
  
And with that, Aro grabbed the cellphone out of her hand and threw it haphazardly across the floor. She was about to yell at him for almost breaking it when he removed his fingers from her now soaked panties, kneeled down on the floor in front of her, pulled her panties all the way down, and buried his head between her thighs. Ramona moaned loudly, not able to control herself, as his tongue flicked expertly against her wet clit. She doubled over and caught herself on his shoulders, holding desperately onto him as he sucked her clit. Before she knew it, her legs began to shake and she let out small pants of breath as she reached her climax.   
  
  
Encouraged, Aro let out a growl low in the back of his throat, muffled against her pussy and sending vibrations which added _just another kick_ to her orgasm, and she cried in delight.  
  
  
Exhausted, she slides down against the wall until her butt touches the floor and she is face to face with Aro. The two of them are staring at each other, panting silently, and Ramona feels a flush of embarrassment as she sees herself _coated_ on Aro’s lips. Wordlessly, Aro, still kneeled in front of her, begins to struggle with his belt.   
  
  
Ramona frowns immediately as she notices he’s trying to undo it, “Aro, _no_ —”  
  
  
For the first time, Aro gives her a look of incredulity. He halts on his belt, “But I just—”  
  
  
The girl scowled, “You just…just _assaulted me_ without asking, is what you did.”   
  
  
Aro sneered, “Well I didn’t hear you complain.” He reached out to her bare thigh again and she kicked at him. He swatted her leg away easily.  
  
  
She wasn’t giving up. “I was _on the phone_ …with my sister. What was I supposed to say? Excuse me Bella, I need to stop talking to you so I can tell Aro to stop _rubbing my pussy?”  
  
_ _  
_ Aro smirked, “I suppose that doesn’t quite _roll off the tongue_ ,” he insinuated. She scoffed. He groaned though, and touched his groin, “ _Come now,_ Ramona, let’s just—”  
  
  
Ramona somehow got her strength back and she stood up, walking away from him angrily. She tried desperately to get as much space in between them as possible. “I am _not_ having sex with you,” she spat, “I don’t _want_ to have some baby for you. This isn’t what I signed up for, absolutely _not_ —”  
  
  
The man didn’t seem to know how to take no for an answer however. “Ramona, you will become accustomed to the idea.”  
  
  
“NO,” she yelled, backing away faster now. Her back legs hit the kitchen table, and grunted in pain. She continued to back away, “I don’t _want_ one. I _want_ my life back!”  
  
  
And with that she ran up the stairs as fast as she could, although she knew he could easily catch up to her if he wanted. Ramona found what she assumed was her bedroom and slammed the door shut behind her. Ramona heard a loud roar accompanied by the sound of glass breaking from what sounded like the kitchen. She locked the door, knowing it didn’t matter but feeling better doing so. She caught her breath, and silently appreciated that he did not try to open the door for the rest of the night.   
  


* * *

  
Throwing the vase on the floor _might_ have been an overreaction, Aro realized, as he glared at the shards of glass that scattered across the kitchen floor. In his anger, he grabbed the closest breakable object and chucked it across the floor in rage.   
  
  
He shrugged. He could have Laura purchase her another one if he wanted.  
  
  
While he was not surprised that Ramona had put up a fight regarding having a child, he wasn’t prepared for her to refuse him _outright._ Especially not right after Aro had provided her with some _delectable_ mouth service that he thought she would appreciate and it would clear the air between them.   
  
  
Apparently, he was incorrect in that evaluation. She closed her legs and ran off the second he dared to reach for his belt.  
  
  
_The fucking tease._ Aro clenched his teeth and closed his eyes as he willed his erection to go away. It was becoming painful and he was suddenly familiar with that _vulgar_ American idiom of being “blue balled” as his unrelieved arousal throbbed angrily.   
  
  
**_Fuck_**. He could still taste her on his mouth.  
  
 _  
_ He let out another angry growl and ran his hands through his dark hair. The girl wasn’t going to let him have her tonight, that much was obvious. And Aro wasn’t going to force it…he didn’t want to _rape_ her. He couldn’t much see the pleasure in that, and Aro enjoyed watching the pleasured reactions from the girl way too much to ruin it. The way she arched her back, the way her mouth opened just a little bit, the little pants she made when she was climaxing—  
  
  
His erection throbbed angrily. _Oh, this would_ ** _not_** _do.  
  
_  
Reluctantly, he grabbed the girl’s cellphone off of the ground and pocketed it. He took out his own and began to text Demetri, telling him that his first shift of watching the girl would start tonight. He needed to get back to the castle.   
  


The second that Demetri arrived, Aro stormed out and raced back to the castle as fast as he could without attracting attention. Ignoring the looks he received from some of the guards, he prowled past the throne room without a second thought. He wouldn’t stop and say anything to his brothers just yet—he had no patience for lectures right now and he had much more _pressing_ matters at hand.  
  
  
Aro climbed up the ridiculously long flight of stairs to the top of the towers that held his and Caius’s wives. He was still feeling irritatingly aroused from his interaction with Ramona, and he _desperately_ needed a release. And he would take it in any form at this moment.  
  
  
He made his way into his wife’s chambers and slammed the door shut behind him, surprising Sulpicia as she sat idly in their bed, reading a book. Her eyebrows shot up in wonder as she gave her husband a once over as she noticed how utterly strung up he was at the moment.  
  
  
“Aro, you’re back so soon,” she remarked. She was surprised to see him again so soon after their last encounter. In the last hundred years or so, Aro did not make a habit of visiting his wife’s chambers as often as he should have, so this was quite an interesting development.  
  
  
Aro took in her honey blonde hair, her porcelain, perfect skin, her unblinking red eyes…it was wrong. It was all wrong, and he knew it wasn’t what he _wanted_ , but his selfish mind considered the substitute as a preferable alternative to painfully staving it off.  
  
  
And while his dear Sulpicia had never uttered a single complaint or resistance to Aro’s more carnal delights, recent developments caused him to desire more…atypical pleasures than what his wife had come accustomed to for the last several hundred years.  
  
  
Poor Sulpicia was left confused as her husband began requesting things that they had never done in their entire marriage.  
  
  
“Tell me—tell me what you want,” Aro groaned, as he besieged her body with a barrage of kisses. He was desperate, and he had torn off her dress in a haze to get to her body quicker.   
  
  
“What—what are you talking about?” she gasped, as he entered her swiftly and purposefully. His eyes were closed, eyebrows furrowed…his entire face contorted in intense concentration as he rocked back and forth, desperate to scratch that itch that Ramona left him with.   
  
  
“Just— _fuck_ , just talk to me,” Aro said, beginning to sound annoyed. “Say—say something. Do something, Tell me what you want—”  
  
  
Sulpicia, who had spent well over the last hundred years enduring her husband in faithful silence, was lost. “I don’t know what you _want_ Aro—”  
  
  
“ _Fuck_ , Sulpicia, just—just do something other than lay there like a _dead fish_ ,” he practically snarled at her. The words rather did the opposite effect of what he might have intended, however, as it rendered her mute for the rest of their coupling.   
  
  
Aro had never been the most adoring of lovers, but he had never lashed out at her like that. It was unquestionably out of character for him.   
  
  
Fortunately for them both, Aro finished rather quickly, as he was already halfway there when he first entered the room. As he got up and began pulling on his trousers, his wife stared up at him with an odd expression on her face. Aro tried to ignore her, as well as ignore the guilt and shame that was beginning to fester inside of him.  
  
  
“You were distracted tonight,” his wife murmured, looking at him curiously, “Something is bothering you.” It was not a question.  
  
  
Aro began buttoning his dress shirt. “I’m _fine_ ,” he lied. He had no desire to pander to his wife’s incessant nagging. “I need to speak with my brothers.” was all he said, as he finished knotting his tie and he strode out of the room, without looking back.   
  
  
While he was feeling physically content, Aro could not shake off the nagging remorse and regret that was threatening to consume him afterwards. That what was going on between him and Ramona was now something disturbingly more serious than just a relationship designed with the singular purpose of creating an offspring. This farcity with his wife just proved that, as he could not get the human girl out of his head for more than a second to focus on who he had in front of him. Which was completely and utterly distressing to him, when he thought about it…as now it wouldn’t be as easy as to replace her with another human if it was deemed necessary.   
  
  
_Ramona_ was what he wanted.  
  
  
If he had paid any attention to his wife, Aro would have noticed that his wife had been more observant of him that night than usual. That she had taken notice of his increased sexual dependency as well as his vastly atypical behaviors in the bedroom. Sulpicia didn’t bother telling him that she could smell the scent and taste the musk of another woman on his lips. She knew he wouldn’t give her an answer anyway.   
  
  


* * *

**  
And so it begins...  
  
** **This fucking mess of a couple-  
**


	15. What You Took From Me

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Tuesday! I hope everyone's week is going okay, and if you are in the US, I hope you had a good Memorial Day yesterday. I went out to get ice cream for the first time in MONTHS (social distanced and wore a mask of course). 
> 
> This chapter is kinda funny for me, cause I really like it....but not all that much ACTUALLY HAPPENS lol 
> 
> But sometimes certain chapters just be like that. And you just gotta roll with it.

* * *

Ramona awoke the next morning with a splitting headache and a dry throat, consequences from crying herself to sleep through the night. In all of the chaos, she had not bothered to check out the room that she had resigned herself to for the rest of the night. She simply flopped herself onto the bed and curled up under the plush comforter, willing herself to forget, _for just a little bit_ , the shitty situation she found herself in.  
  
  
The bedroom was actually quite nice, if Ramona was being honest. The bed was outlandishly large; a California King sized mattress with crisp, white sheets, a white comforter, and a light, translucent white canopy. The walls were the same red brick as downstairs. A wooden dresser across from the bed was lined with candles, as well as an old style record player. A bookshelf filled to the brim with classics sat comfortably in the corner. Ramona supposed that she would find the room rather romantic if it wasn’t for the fact it served as a prison.  
  
  
Stretching the aches out of her sore body, her bare feet padded across the floor as she made her way to the ensuite. Again, it was lovely; more modern though, with a large, sleek glass shower as well as a large clawfoot tub, big enough to fit two people…she scowled.  
  
  
After washing her face, Ramona cautiously unlocked the bedroom door and tiptoed her way down the stairs. She had no idea if Aro would still be downstairs or if he had stayed the night. She raised her eyebrows as she caught sight of the broken glass all scattered across the kitchen floor.  
  
  
 _He had a tantrum for not getting his way_ , she realized. It would be humorous in any other situation.  
  
  
Ignoring the mess for the meantime, Ramona wandered into the living room to grab her suitcase and the backpack that Aro had brought with her from her home. As she went to get the bags, her eyes glanced to the front door where she was led in last night. It was probably locked…there was _no way_ it was as simple as opening the door and leaving. _But_ —what if it _was_? It didn’t hurt to try, Ramona decided. She walked over and grabbed the door handle and pulled with all of her strength.  
It was most definitely locked.  
  
  
Ramona cursed and kicked the door in frustration. But it sent a wave of determination in her bones that she didn’t have before and she swept across the home for ways to get out. There weren’t any other doors, but there was the window in the back of the living room. With purpose, she strode over to the window, turned the hatches, and opened the window, smiling as the sweet breeze of freedom tickled her face. She lifted her leg and proceeded to climb out—  
  
  


* * *

  
Demetri had been a loyal guard of the Volturi for hundreds of years. In that time, he had done things for the Volturi that he did not imagine he would be doing; ripping apart vampires limb by limb, destroying other covens, warring with the Romanians…hell, even that stunt with wiping out the Children of the Moon in a rather brutal genocide. He had tracked vampires and humans down to the ends of the Earth, and he had done it all for the sake of the Volturi.  
  
  
He had _not_ imagined that he would be playing babysitter to his master’s rather moody pet.  
  
  
Not that he particularly minded the task; as far as special tasks went, this was one of the less unpleasant ones that he had undertaken in a long time. And he owed a lot to Master Aro. Aro had taken him in when he had nothing, provided him with a home, a coven, a position as the greatest tracker in the world…Aro had raised him up to one of the highest positions in the Volturi and the vampire had been living in relative luxury ever since. If his master wanted him to watch over some little human, he’d shut his mouth and do it without question.  
  
  
Demetri was lounging in the back of the house in the shade when he heard the sound of the window opening. He lazily looked up to see the girl his master was currently obsessed with climbing out of the window. He quirked an eyebrow at her and crossed his legs, unimpressed. She gaped at him in shock before her expression turned into one of displeasure.  
  
  
“It’s _you_ ,” she scowled. He smirked at the moody human.  
  
  
“It’s me,” he confirmed. She said nothing but continued to glare at him. Demetri tried a different approach. “Can I help you with something?”  
  
  
The girl was huffing and puffing and he watched as she put her hands on her hips. “I suppose that Aro told you to watch over me then.”  
  
  
The vampire nodded. “At _all_ times.”  
  
  
The girl, _Ramona was it?,_ continued to stare at him hatefully as if it were all his fault that she was stuck in this situation. As he observed her, Demetri could appreciate why his master was so obsessed. She was rather lovely, beautiful even by vampire standards. His master always had a soft spot for _pretty females_ —  
  
  
If he was going to be stuck babysitting her for the foreseeable future, he figured that he might as well introduce himself. He extended his hand, “By the way, I haven’t introduced myself, I’m—”  
  
  
The girl slammed the window shut and disappeared back into the house. Demetri sighed, leaning back into the chair and closing his eyes. This was going to be a long job….  
  
  


* * *

Ramona should have known better than to dare to believe that Aro would have left her alone without any form of supervision. Her chance for escape was all but destroyed when she stepped out of that window only to be greeted by that other vampire that accompanied them on the jet from New York.  
  
  
Aro was just _flaunting_ his control at this point…  
  


Discouraged, Ramona went back into the house, grabbed her belongings, and trudged back up the stairs to take a shower and get changed. The shower and clean clothes made her feel somewhat better, especially after she realized that she never cleaned herself off after last night’s…escapade.  
  
  
She was mad at herself for letting Aro so easily manipulate her body the way that he did.  
  


Her excuse was weak and he knew it too; she could have stopped him at any point.  
  


But she didn’t. Because unfortunately, there was still a part of her heart and her body that _desperately_ craved the man. Despite everything.  
  
  
And she hated him even more for it.  
  
  
Ramona stepped back into the kitchen, narrowly avoiding the shards of glass that were all over the floor — _because_ ** _she_** _wasn’t going to clean up_ ** _his_** _mess._ Hungry, she opened the refrigerator door and found to her surprise that it was fully stocked with all kinds of food items.  
  
  
She was in the middle of cooking up some eggs and bacon for herself when the front door opened and in walked Aro, strolling in like he owned the place. A styrofoam coffee cup was in his hand, a likely peace offering. Ramona ignored him, focusing back on cooking her breakfast.  
  
  
She heard Aro hum thoughtfully behind her, “The kitchen is still a mess, I see…”  
  
  
Ramona whipped her head around so fast that she almost gave herself whiplash. She stared at him incredulously, “Well **_I_** didn’t make the mess…”  
  
  
Aro chuckled and put the coffee down in front of her, “Calm yourself, cara mia—I come bearing a gift” he pushed it towards her. She glanced at it but didn’t go to pick it up. He sighed as if exasperated, “ _Fine_. I will clean it up.”  
  
  
He left her side to go take care of the glass all over the floor, and feeling victorious, Ramona took a sip of the coffee. She winced, opening the container and finding it was black, and she then poured a small amount of creamer in it. In the time she had done all that and finished cooking her eggs, Aro had already cleaned all of the glass off the floor and was waiting for her patiently at the kitchen island.  
  
  
She took a seat in the chair across from him at the kitchen island and began to eat her breakfast. She chewed thoughtfully before announcing, “I want to call Charlie and Renee.”  
  
  
Ramona was vaguely aware of Aro’s unnerving staredown as she ate her breakfast. She was under the impression that either one of two things were true; either one, Aro was particularly obsessed with her eating habits because he wanted her pregnant, or two: he had a food kink. She was betting on the latter. She would have found it somewhat sexy if she wasn’t deciding to hate him.  
  
  
“That can be arranged,” Aro mumbled, as he took out her cell phone from the breast pocket of his black blazer— _Ramona idly wondered if the man ever wore anything else_ —and fiddled with the buttons. She was briefly confused on how he knew her passcode until she remembered that he apparently knew _everything_.  
  
  
He handed the cellphone to her, his fingers grazing hers and he grasped her wrist. His gaze, those red eyes that he wasn’t bothering hiding from her anymore, intensified, “Remember, carina—you are to say that you came here of your own accord.”  
  
  
Her jaw twitched but she agreed.   
  


She dialed Renee’s number first, figuring that conversation would go a bit smoother than a conversation with her dad.  
  
  
And of course, her mother didn’t prove her wrong—  
  
  
 ** _“Ramona, sweetie? You’re calling me? Is it our monthly phone call already?”_** her mother joked on the other end of the line. _Good,_ Bella must not have told her anything. Not that she was surprised…keeping Renee out of the loop wouldn’t be a particularly difficult thing to do. Their mother loathed unnecessary drama.  
  
  
But Renee’s idle joking made her feel significantly better. Aro was watching the conversation lazily out of the corner of his eye, seemingly uninterested. “ ** _I guess it is. I just wanted to call and tell you…in case, Bella or Charlie tells you…I wanted you to hear it from me first.”  
  
_** ** _  
_**Mom didn’t skip a beat. ** _“Tell me what baby?”_** she asked, only having a slight edge to her voice to signify any concern. Mostly, she was just curious. **_“Are you okay? Oh no_** — ** _you’re not pregnant are you?”  
  
_** ** _  
_**Ramona was taking a sip of her coffee at that exact moment and she spat the coffee out all over the table. Aro instantly perked up at the comment, appearing suddenly more interested. Ramona shot a warning glance at the eager vampire, who comically mouthed “Oh, I _like_ her—”. Sometimes her mother said the worst things. **_“What? Mom, no_** — ** _why, why would you even say something like that? No, I’m not pregnant. I’m calling you to let you know that I’m going to be in Italy and you might not hear from me for a little while.”  
  
_**

She should have known that Renee, her beloved, nomadic mother, would be in full support of this dramatic change of life. **_“What?! Oh, that’s amazing, baby!”_** she was practically cheerleading her on, **_“Why Italy? Oh wait, don’t tell me…does it have something to do with that man? Dr. Cullen’s friend?”  
  
_** ** _  
_**Aro was in full-on smug mode and she was beginning to regret ever calling her mother at all. Damn her mother and her seemingly perfect memory. But it was a good enough cover and her mom wouldn’t question a thing. ** _“Oh god, I can’t believe you remember_** — ** _but yes, mom. I’m in Italy with Aro. I might even stay here a while…find a ballet company or something.”_** She felt the need to give an excuse that she knew would be something she would _actually_ do. A ballet opportunity made more sense for her than an out-of-the-blue elopement.  
  
 ** _  
_**At least her mother was ecstatic, even if she wasn’t. ** _“That’s awesome Ramona! Don’t work too hard, enjoy yourself a little. Make your man take you on a tour around Italy before you settle into something serious, live a little!”  
  
_** ** _  
_**Ramona wanted to groan— _of course_ her mother would be 100% supportive of this, she shouldn’t have even worried about it. In her mother’s mind, she was living the dream…running away to a foreign country with the beau of her dreams and going on some epic adventure. Still, it was better that Renee was happy instead of upset about this. That made her feel a bit better. **_“Of course, mom…I’ll make sure to take lots of pictures for you. I…I love you.”  
  
_**  
She could hear Renee beaming from ear to ear, **_“Aww, I love you too baby. Give your man my love,”_** Ramona wanted to suddenly smash the phone across the wall, **_“Bye baby.”  
  
_** ** _  
_**She clicked off the phone and glared at Aro, daring him to make any comments. He only shrugged at her, but the shit-eating-grin was still plastered on his face. “Well…I would say that went well,” he supplied.  
  


Ramona scowled, “Yeah, well, that’s Renee for you…” she began typing in her father’s phone number next. “Charlie isn’t going to be as overjoyed as her.”  
  
  
Aro leaned back in his chair as if he was about to watch a particularly entertaining show…which he just might, she thought. Ramona watched Aro carefully to make sure that he wasn’t going to try anything this time with her father on the phone. She didn’t want a repeat of the night before with _Charlie_ on the phone. Aro didn’t even need to touch her to know her thoughts, smirking mischievously.  
  
  
The phone rang only a few times before the familiar cander of her father picked up, “ ** _Hello? Mona??_** **”** his voice sounded confused, but not overly concerned. Ramona let out a heavy breath, realizing that Bella must not have told their dad about her either.  
  
  
 ** _“Hey Charlie,”_** she smiled, feeling a bit comforted by the sound of her father’s voice.  
  
 ** _  
_****_“Is…is everything al’right?”_** he asked. It didn’t surprise her that he was concerned. She didn’t often call her father out of the blue. Something that she realized, as she was placed in this horrible situation, she regretted dearfully.  
  
  
 ** _“Yeah, everything’s fine_** —” she glanced over to Aro to make sure he was behaving himself and staying at least six feet away. He held up his hands in mock surrender. **_“I just…I just wanted to call you to say hi. And to let you know, in case…in case Bella tells you…I’m in Italy. I left a little bit earlier than expected.”  
  
_** ** _  
_**Now that got Charlie’s attention. ** _“What?!”_** he practically shouted through the phone. Aro began to practically _cackle_ to himself and she shot the vampire her nastiest look. **_“You mean with…that boyfriend of yours?”_** Ramona cringed at the word choice, **_“But I thought you weren’t doing that for a least another two weeks…what about your performances?”  
  
_**  
Her performances…that reminded her that she would have to call Derrick as well to let him know she wasn’t sure if she would be able to come back. She felt _horrible_ ; she was the _back up._ First Angelina disappeared, and now her—  
  
  
A dark, intrusive thought entered her mind, but she pushed it back…there was _no way_.   
  
  
**_“I’m actually...leaving the company. The_** — ** _the prima returned and now I’m back up anyways, and Aro…he thinks he can help get me into one of the companies in Italy…”_** her dad began to indignantly sputter at the idea, and she rushed to explain, **_“No, dad, really…it’s-it’s the opportunity of a lifetime. One of the best production companies in the world_** — ** _I would never get this opportunity again. I really want to try-out for it.”  
  
_** ** _  
_**Her father was silent for a moment, and for a moment she was concerned that he was going to threaten to fly up to Italy himself and get her back. But she should have known better. Charlie loved her too much to hurt her like that if it’s what he thought she wanted. ** _“Mona…if that’s what you really want, you should go for it,”_** he sounded like he was choking back some emotion, and guilt panged deep in her chest. She _hated_ lying to Charlie. **_“But don’t be a stranger, Mona. Make sure you come back to see your mom and your old man when you can.”  
  
_** ** _  
_****_“Okay dad.”_** she said it so sadly. **_“I will, I promise_** —”  
  
  
 ** _“Alright, well I’ll let you go because I’m about to head into the station,”_** Charlie sounded like he didn’t want to hang up, but they both knew the conversation was starting to become…emotionally charged, and neither of them were particularly good with that. **_“Well Mona_** — ** _love you, kiddo. I’ll talk to you soon.”_** ** _  
_**Ramona swallowed, “ ** _Love you too dad. Bye_** —”  
  
  
She must have been more upset than she had realized because she didn’t even notice Aro leave his seat and come up behind her, snaking his hands across her waist. He nuzzled into her hair and gave her a kiss on her head. “ _Mona,”_ he cooed, mockingly. She thrashed under his grasp, but he held her steady with his strong hands. Using her father’s personal nickname for her and throwing it in her face was the _grossest_ thing he had done yet, and Ramona couldn’t stand it.  
  
  
Aro seemed to be humored by it though, and unfortunately when Aro was humored by something, she learned that he had hardly ever left it alone. “ _Mmmm_ , you see sweet _Mona?_ Everything is okay, cheer up cara mia.” He took the cellphone away from her.  
  
  
“Don’t _call me that_ ,” she hissed. He pouted.  
  
  
“Why not? I enjoy your little nickname, _Mona,_ ” he practically purred the name. His right hand left her hip for a moment and gave her a little squeeze on the butt. She shouted indignantly, and he laughed heartily. “Take it easy, carina. What, is only _daddy_ allowed to call you Mona?”  
  
  
She granted him a death stare. _If he makes a daddy comment_ —  
  
  
He flashed his teeth in a large grin and he chuckled, but didn’t say anything. He didn’t need to; they were having a silent conversation and his unsaid joke was clear enough.   
  
  
God. She hated him.  
  
  
“I _do_ like the nickname though,” Aro commented, “It fits you. _Mona_ ,” he repeated, savouring the name upon his tongue. She shivered, “Like the famous Mona Lisa. _La Gioconda_. It is a suitable name for you, darling.”  
  
  
While Ramona had been doing so well with not taking Aro’s bait, she couldn’t help herself this time. “I hardly see a resemblance.”  
  
  
He exhaled a loud sound like a sigh, “And what do you know about La Gioconda, Mona?” She spun around to face him, tired of listening to him murmur in her ear like a lover. She had no desire to give him anything that he wanted.  
  
  
“I know enough,” she stated, glaring at him. She attempted to shimmy out of his hold, and he relaxed enough to give her some space. It felt good to get out of his embrace. She was tired of feeling like a puppet on a string. He always seemed to have a grasp on her. It didn’t help that she knew he could read her mind with a touch of his hand. Aro wasn’t dissuaded, though, and he hummed thoughtfully.  
  
  
“The beauty of the Mona Lisa, cara mia, lies within its _soggettività,_ ” he murmured, “it’s subjectivity, of the secrets behind the smile. Some men look at her and see a happy smile…other men find it deceptive,” he reached out and touched her chin, turning her face up. He gave her a fierce pondering over. “Still…some men feel that it is a sad smile. Regardless, cara, she transcends the ages with her mystery.”  
  


She hated when he talked. Words flowed out like milk and honey from his tongue, so easily enrapturing her and leaving her speechless.  
  
  
“You, cara mia, are a mystery to me as well. Just when I believe to have you figured out,” he eyed her, “you surprise me. Still, like La Gioconda, I find myself lost as I gaze upon you—when I thought you were content, you became angered. I can no longer determine if the smile I am looking at is happy, or is sad, or deceptive…”  
  
  
Ramona said nothing. There wasn’t any more to say. He should _know_ how she felt. He knew her mind—it should not have been a mystery why she was so completely destroyed by finding out what he was…what he did…the lies that he told. But upon reflection, she reflected that he did not appear any more happy than she did. Behind his laughs, his mocking jests, the beautiful words…he looked as empty as her.  
  
  
Her mind replayed memories of how they were before she found out he was a vampire…when they seemed happy. Everything had changed. She had forgotten that Aro had a firm grasp on her chin and could see all of her memories flash before his eyes as well. His expression, which she could tell was already unhappy, turned even more forlorn.  
  
  
“You took something away from me.”  
  
  
He was talking about _her_ taking something away from _him_? That was rich, considering the entire situation. She would play his game though.  
  
  
“Oh yeah? And what was that?” she snidely remarked. The only thing she could think of that she “took away from him” was the possiblity of a child because she took that stupid pill. The thought of them having a child together now was utterly ridiculous anyway. They could barely stand each other at the moment without arguing.   
  


Red eyes searched her own longingly.  
  
  
“Your willingness,” he lamented. “Your eagerness. You took those away from me, Ramona.” He backed away from her, surprising her so much that her eyebrows shot up in shock. She was so used to her being the one to back away from him. He was almost always _excessively_ handsy.   
  


“I don’t like when things are taken away from me.” he said shortly.  
  
  
She jutted her chin up in defiance. “I don’t _either_.”  
  
  
A tornado meets a volcano, both stubborn and short-sighted and selfish in their own way. In a huff of anger, Aro left her there, alone in the kitchen, locking the door behind him. Ramona told herself that she was happy to see him leave. 

  
  


* * *

**  
Italian Translations:  
  
  
La Gioconda - the name for The Mona Lisa in Italian. Gioconda was the surname of Lisa (the subject of the painting). Actually, the first name of the lady in the painting is Lisa, and Mona is simply a honorific like "lady" in Italian....so him calling that in response to her having that name doesn't _quite_ make as much sense as I originally thought, but alas...it is what it is. Not changing it now.   
  
**

**soggettività - subjectivity.**

* * *

**  
One day perhaps they will be nice to each other again.  
  
**

**Today was not that day. Cheers.**


	16. Liquid Courage's Delight

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday! This week has gone by SO FAST.
> 
> I've been really excited to post this chapter. Another one of my new favorites (lol I think I say that about almost every chapter hahaha). I am nervous that some of you might not like it? Idk, I guess let me know what you think.
> 
> It's actually really interesting because in the comment sections I found that I have a division of readers: ones that WANT Ramona pregnant, and ones that don't lol It's actually really interesting and I want you all to know that I read (and try to respond) to each and every comment and take your comments/concerns/ideas seriously. 
> 
> Anyways, thank you all again and I hope you have an amazing day! I love you all!! <3

* * *

Aro never came back that night. As the next day rolled around, Ramona wondered how long she was supposed to sit by herself all day and do nothing. It was excruciatingly boring. She supposed that Aro expected her to entertain herself with the books, and music, and the television he left for her, but she had gotten over it all rather quickly. She knew she would go mad if she had to stay inside much longer.  
  
  
It had only been two days, but it felt like a lifetime. Especially since she had no idea when she would see the outside again. And after their last conversation ended abruptly, she had no idea if Aro would even come.  
  
  
Ramona thought about the lies that she told her parents and her sister earlier…the explanation she used for being in Italy. It was a good excuse; Italy had some of the greatest ballet companies and productions in the world. And from what she understood, she was somewhere in the heart of Florence, one of the biggest cities in all of Italy. The way she saw it, there _had_ to be a ballet company somewhere nearby.  
  
  
Aro had taken her away from her dream; ripped her away cruelly when she had finally landed the lead role in one of the most famous productions in the world. And now he just expected her to sit and do nothing but wait for his return like a loyal lapdog?  
  
  
He owed her, she decided. He owed it to her to let her go outside, to find a ballet studio to spend her time at while she was here. He could force her to stay in Italy, but he could not force her to stay inside all day long. She’d go insane.  
  
  
But…he was a vampire. It was pointless to try to convince him of anything.  
  
  
 _He’s a vampire, but he’s still a **man**_ —her brain reminded her. 

  
_Was he still the man who she had back in her New York apartment weeks ago?_  
  
  
She had to believe that, deep down, somewhere, he was.  
  
  
It was night, and she had just finished eating dinner when her vampire captur finally returned. Ramona was beginning to clean the dishes— _manually, of course, because god forbid he would have found a place with a dishwasher_ — when he sauntered over to the refrigerator. He didn’t even glance at her…. _still bothered from their last conversation then_ , she surmised. He took out one of the several bottles of wine and grabbed a stemless wine glass out of the cabinet. Aro poured from the bottle of Châteauneuf de Pas silently, and Ramona stopped her scrubbing to glare at him questioningly. Once he filled the glass a generous amount, he took it and placed it in front of her.  
  
  
“Some liquid courage,” Aro mumbled. Ramona stared at the red liquid, which suddenly seemed to be mocking her. Liquid courage indeed.  
  
  
“And why, pray tell, would I need some liquid courage?” she replied, finishing up the last of the dishes and placing it on the rack to dry.

  
He shot her a look that very much said— _you know why_ — and she sighed to herself. But she wasn’t deterred. Making full eye contact, she grabbed the wine glass and took a sip. He watched her mouth…she took another long sip.  
  
  
Wordlessly, and with intent, Ramona strode past him, making her way up the stairs and into the bedroom. He followed silently behind her, for once not making any sly comments or flirtatious remarks. In the bedroom, she leaned against the wall, facing the bed. Aro entered the room behind her and closed the door shut. He looked at her confused and he made to move towards her. Ramona shook her head, and tilted her head in a gesture for him to sit on the bed. Staring her down, he did just that, and sat directly across from her. She took another sip of her liquid courage and found that he was right, it _did_ help.  
  
  
They remained in their respective positions for a few minutes before Aro began to slowly unlace and remove his shoes. “Stop.” Ramona said softly. When he seemed intent to ignore her and continued unlacing, she said it again, louder this time. “I said **_stop_**.”  
  
  
Aro did just that, halting his fingers as they unlaced his left shoe. He didn’t appear angered, but rather curious. “Okay…” he started. When she didn’t say anything for another minute, his patience started to wear off and he made to remove his shoes once again. Before Ramona could tell him no again, he sighed in exasperation. “Ramona, I am going to need to take my clothing off for this,” he said, as if talking to a child.  
  
  
Ramona never took her eyes off of him.  
  
  
“I need to be able to leave the house.” she stated decidedly. Aro frowned.  
  
  
“Cara, I believe that I made it perfectly clear _why_ you cannot leave—”  
  
  
“You took away everything,” she said, gaining confidence, “You took me away from my home…from my family…you took Swan Lake away from me.”  
  
  
Aro was becoming more frustrated, but to his credit he hadn’t moved a muscle, “Ramona, I—”  
  
  
“ _I_ was thinking about what I said earlier, to my parents…the lie that I made up to them about joining a dance company here in Florence,” she became more resolute with each word, “I decided that I want to make that a reality. Starting tomorrow, you’ll let me out of the house so that I can look for one.”  
  
  
She was rolling the dice in this dangerous game and she had no idea how Aro was going to react. Fortunately, he continued to make no move towards her. He seemed to be silently considering her request.  
  
  
“You will not be _able_ to dance when—”  
  
  
“I understand what you want,” she cut him off quickly, “and I won’t deny you.” His eyes became dark with lust, and she swallowed down the uncomfortable butterflies that erupted in her chest. “At least…not forever,” his expression immediately soured. “Aro, don’t deny me this.”  
  
  
Aro appeared thoughtful. “And how would I be able to trust that you would be a _good girl_ and stay put?” he asked. His question sent unwanted shivers down her spine.  
  
  
“I am sure you have ways,” Ramona argued. When it looked like he was about to come up with another excuse, she pulled out her last card. “If I am to stay locked up in here, I will not be me anymore, I will perish,” she stood firm. She didn’t care how dramatic she sounded, it was the truth. Aro’s jaw worked as he considered her damning words.  
  
  
She tried one last time, “If you still have _any_ affection in your heart for me, you will do me this favor.”  
  
  
Aro sat still as stone for several minutes as he processed her pleading words. Then, in an answer, he made to lift himself slowly off the bed. He silently shrugged his blazer off and crept towards her. Standing straighter, Ramona shook her head. “No.” she commanded. He halted, but his expression **_darkened_**.  
  
  
“Ramona—”  
  
  
“ _My way,_ ” she uttered sharply. She nodded back towards the bed. “Sit back down.”  
  
  
His red eyes were blazing fire but he did what she said, sitting back down on the mattress and watching her carefully, _patiently._ She looked him up and down.  
  
  
“Remove your clothing,” she said. He immediately began unbuttoning his shirt, his gaze _never_ leaving hers. He removed it, revealing his perfect, taut muscles; his body was strong, but on the leaner side. Dark hair matted his chest, and Aro followed her gaze as it wandered his happy trail down his abs to his trousers.  
  


He began working on his belt next, and deftly removed it and his trousers and let them lay as a puddle on the floor. Aro went to remove his briefs before looking back up at her curiously.  
  
  
She nodded, “Those too.”  
  


A mischievous smile _finally_ adorned his face, all of the miserable attitude leftover from the previous day gone, and she felt her heart skip a beat for the first time in several days. It had been so long since they had a moment that wasn’t the two of them tearing at each other’s throats. For a moment, she forgot why she was even mad at him.  
  
  
Aro pulled down his briefs all the way, his cock springing out already long and hard and leaking. He gave a small groan and spread his legs a bit, adjusting himself.  
  
  
Ramona gave him a once over; in their previous sexual experiences, she had not taken the time to _really_ look at him. She stepped forward to get a better look. His body truly was remarkable, and she wondered briefly if all vampires were this perfect or if it was an _Aro_ thing. Her heart, which was thrashing wildly in her chest, told her it was the latter.  
  
  
She breathed in deeply, glancing at his aching cock, and then back up at him. She licked her lips. He watched her lips and _shuddered_. “Touch yourself.” she said.  
  
  
Aro wasted no time and within seconds his hand was on his own cock, stroking it up and down as he stared at her. His brows were furrowed and his lip curled, and he was staring up at her with a particularly _needy_ expression. Small noises were coming out the back of his throat, and Ramona briefly wondered if vampires panted. She took small, precise steps forward, never leaving his gaze, until she was practically on top of him, looking down. She watched as his free hand made to grab her by the hem of her shorts. She jutted her hip quickly, making him miss. A growl warned her that he wouldn’t be compliant.  
  
  
“I’m leaving these on,” she whispered. His expression faltered, and for a moment she thought he would begin to argue with her. She stopped him before he could speak.  
  
  
“Do you want a child or do you want me?”  
  
  
 _If you force me you will not have me the way that you want me_ — the words unsaid.  
  
  
Aro was deathly quiet, his eyes hovering to the exposed bit of skin between her shorts and tank top. He looked back up at her, his head leaning back, his dark hair falling on his back. He gave her one last brooding look, one that said— _fine, but I’m not happy about it_ —and began stroking himself again. She watched him with hooded eyes, and slowly lifted her camisole up over her arms, freeing her breasts.  
  
  
He stared at her breasts longingly and moved his head forward towards her nipple, as if to bite. She leaned back a bit, and shook her finger at him. “Uh uh,” she teased, a smile slowly gracing her face. Aro looked up at her bewildered, and Ramona was reminded of a scorned puppy. He tried again, his mouth **_hovering_** over her breast like a magnet, his bottom lip _almostttt_ _touching_ her erect nipple. She shook her head as if scolding a child. “No _touching_. Just look.” And he did. He _looked_ and licked his lips in despair.  
  
  
She smiled as she let her fingers trail down from his hair, so soft and silky, down his strong, broad shoulders, down his arms, until she lowered herself in front of him. Aro was rubbing himself vigorously now, entranced by the girl in front of him. Ramona carefully spread his legs slightly wider so that she could be kneeled right in between, her face inches from his erection.  
  
  
Aro’s stroking slowed down a bit as he watched her in confusion. She didn’t skip a beat. She was hoping that what she would say next would break his willpower.  
  
  
“I **know** you like my mouth, Aro.”  
  


A _strangled_ noise echoed in the room.   
  


She put her hand over his, removing it from his erection, now achingly swollen and a shade darker in color than the rest of him. She gently pushed his hips and guided him so that he was laying back with his legs and feet off the bed. Ramona wrapped her palm around his thick cock, brushing her thumb across the tip and rubbing the shining precum into the shaft. She hummed when his body jerked up and he made a _delicious_ moan.  
  
  
Warmth settled in the pit of her tummy at his moan, and Ramona slid his head into her hot mouth and let her tongue begin to swirl circles. “ **F** _ **-Fuck**_ ,” he cursed as she continued brushing her tongue around to test his reactions. “Ke-keep going,” he told her, “a-ah, _fuck_.”  
  
  
She opened her jaw and took him in deeper until she felt him hit the back of her throat. She made a little gagging sound, drooling a little bit more and making him nice and wet. Aro growled in pleasure. She took her time, taking it slow as she bobbed up and down, keeping him at a steady pace that she _intended_ to keep him being right on the brink.  
  
  
He must have lost his patience along the way as his hips canted up, fucking into her mouth with a desperation with each _roll_ of his hips. But Ramona is pleasantly surprised that he still hasn’t touched her; his hands were obediently fisting the comforter.  
  
  
Her grasp was firm though so every thrust that went further and further back remained in her control. Aro was still making inhuman noises: a mixture of growls, moans, and what she imagined were Italian vulgarities. Absentmindedly, Ramona’s free hand found its way underneath her shorts and she began touching herself, strumming to the same rhythm and chord he was. Of course because he could read her mind, he _knew_ —practicing _shouting_ in ecstacy. “Ngk, **_fucking yes, Mona!_** ”  
  


Ramona knew, in most pornography and general sex culture, that giving head was generally considered an action of submission. But as she gazed upon the vampire’s wretched form: his pale body trembling in pieces on the bed, _whining_ for more, cursing incoherently, calling her name…she decided with resolution that she did _not agree_ with that assessment.   
  


He did not last much longer. She felt his stomach flex and his cock began throbbing on her tongue, cumming down the back of her throat. Ramona swallowed everything, sucking deeply until he was completely empty and spent.  
  
  
She got up, crawled into bed and under the covers, as he laid on top of the bed, unmoving and panting softly in post-orgasmic bliss. She closed her eyes…somehow she knew she would be safe.   
  


* * *

The girl was deceivingly clever at getting what she wanted, Aro realized, as he lay in bed next to her sleeping body. In many ways, she was a lot more similar to him that she seemed. Ramona was clever; clever enough to play him at his own games, and succeed at it at that. Even _beat him_ at his own game.  
  
  
Aro had fooled himself, for a moment, into believing it was he that had manipulated the girl into finally breaking down and giving into him. Giving into her own bodily desires; desires that he had so carefully crafted into craving him _despite_ her fear of him. Into giving him what he had desperately wanted.  
  
  
But she hadn’t given him what he wanted. Not _really._ Ramona had given him, if anything, a half measure…enough to placate him for the time being.  
  
  
Although, he had to admit that he _very much_ enjoyed the half measure. He hoped that he would _endure_ more half measures in the future.  
  
  
The fact that she so easily recognized his fixation with her mouth was both arousing and frustrating.  
  
  
It had taken a _considerable_ amount of willpower from him to be as much as a gentleman towards her as he could. She had come to him willingly and offered him something, and Aro knew he would be an idiot to _fuck it up_. So he begrudgingly kept his hands to himself, even though he wanted nothing more than to grab her by the hair and **_fuck_** her _pretty little mouth_ senselessly.   
  


The vampire was surprised that she allowed herself to fall asleep in his presence. He read in the girl’s mind that she still had an underlying fear that he was going to kill her.  
  
  
Aro laid there with her for a bit, feeling a sense of calm wash over him as he absentmindedly counted the steady breathing of her inhalations. But he couldn’t stay all night. He forced himself out of the bed, deciding that he didn’t want to be there when she woke up. Aro had a gnawing concern that he was starting to grow _too attached._  
  
  
Before he left, Aro went into the ensuite and opened the cabinets. He had specifically asked his human secretary to pick out supplies at a local pharmacy and make sure that the home was well stocked. He was pleasantly surprised that she did, indeed, keep it well stocked, and he pulled out one of the many pregnancy kits. He left it out on the bathroom sink for Ramona to find when she woke up in the morning.  
  
  
It didn’t hurt to check, Aro decided, feeling rather optimistic despite it all. She didn’t sue the pill right away after their first sexual encounter, and there was no proof that it would even be effective against a vampire pregnancy. If she wasn’t then Aro would just have to be a lot more… _convincing._  
  
  
The castle was silent when he returned, and he made his way to the throne room to see his brothers and make sure he hadn’t missed anything too important. Marcus was sitting idly reading, while Caius finished giving some orders to Santiago, who bowed to Aro before leaving the room. Aro looked to his brother for explanation.  
The blonde vampire strolled over, “You missed a good fishing last night,” he remarked, studying Aro. Aro was well aware how dark his eyes must have been from not feeding all night. He needed to be more careful, he realized; he couldn’t risk harming Ramona because he forgot to feed.  
  
  
“I will catch today’s,” he said offhandedly. He gestured back towards the door, “Where are you sending Santiago at this hour?”  
  
  
“We have received word of a surge of newborns in Prague, I am sending him along with Jane and Alec to investigate and deal with the threat…since our _usual_ tracker is otherwise _occupied_.”  
  
  
“I told you, Caius, Demetri is working on a special assignment following up from our trial with the Cullens,” he lied smoothly. The blond vampire appeared unconvinced. He continued, “There are whispers following the trial regarding an uprising from our two Romanian compatriots…I am having Demetri track their whereabouts and provide me with information.”  
  
  
It wasn’t altogether a lie. Aro _did_ have some concerns regarding the Romanians following the Cullen trial; he could feel the bloodthirsty vengeance that Vladimir and Stefan had wished to bring upon the Volturi in the clearing. But he wasn’t overly concerned; the two Romanians have done nothing but plotting and planning for practically half a millennia since their last pathetic attempt at an uprising. _Still_ , it was a valid enough excuse that Aro was certain that Caius would not argue too much against it. Not that it _mattered_. His brother could argue with him for the next hundred years and Aro would still do what he wanted to do.  
  
  
“Next time, perhaps you would think to consult with Marcus and myself before you make a decision like that,” Caius drawled. But the vampire wasn’t hostile…in fact, there was an amused wickedness that twinkled in his eyes. “If I didn’t know any better, brother, I would have thought you were hiding something from us —”  
  
  
“ _Of course not, my dear brother_ ,” Aro replied in mock admonishment. He strolled over to his throne and took a seat. Heidi would be returning soon with the afternoon fishing.  
  
  
“I would never hide anything from you,” Aro’s voice dripped with false sincerity. “ _You know how much I love my family_.”  
  
  


* * *

The third and most quiet Volturi king, Marcus, had known his brother for the last thousand years. In that time, Aro’s bonds had always been unusually dim. Despite the dazzling, ostentatious persona the vampire king exuded, the bonds that he shared with others were anything but gleaming.  
  


Marcus could see the bonds between all people and vampires; they appeared as strings of light that connected people to each other. The intensity of the light signified the intensity of the bond. A strong bond was bright, shining as vivid and hot as the sun, a constant string of light between two individuals. A weaker bond flickered, or appeared duller, as if the light was being dimmed by an unseen force. A weak bond would flicker until the light was completely out, block and devoid of any brightness.  


Aro’s bonds had all been rather faint for the entirety of the time that Marcus had known him. The strongest bond Marcus had seen that Aro had ever shared had been with his sister Didyme— _his sweet, beloved Didyme_ — but that glistening bond died with the death of his love. The rest of the Volturi king’s bonds have been rather dark; only a handful of guard members, like Jane, Alec, and Demetri, along with his brothers, had flickering lights that signified the tiny bit of warmth that they shared towards one another. Even Aro’s bond with his wife, although never truly demonstrating the intense shining bond that mates _should_ share, had dimmed considerably throughout the years.  
  
  
And Marcus was even more surprised to see that within only the span of a few weeks, that flicker had almost burnt out entirely with Sulpicia.  
  
  
But, interestingly enough, a new bond appeared out of seemingly nowhere, around the same time that the king’s bond with his wife was starting to diminish. The curious bond shined brilliantly, the light blazing like a figure connecting Aro to an unseen force outside of the castle.  
  
  
It was not particularly complicated for Marcus to figure out exactly what was going on with his brother. That, along with Aro’s unusual disappearance from the castle, was enough to make it obvious that his brother had begun some form of relationship with someone. And by the brightness of the bond, Marcus could only assume it was a woman.  
  
  
Well, _that_ , and the fact that Aro had done a _very poor job_ at hiding the scent of said human woman off of himself when he returned. He had been rather surprised that Caius had not said anything regarding this development. Either the blond vampire hadn’t noticed, or he was being uncharacteristically reserved on the matter.  
  
  
After the kings and the guard had fed for the day— _and Marcus **had** noticed that, for once, Aro did not go for the prettiest female in the room, as he often did_— he searched the castle for wherever his brother decided to hide. When he wasn’t in the library, Marcus checked Aro’s private study.  
  
  
He was right, and Marcus was once again surprised to find Aro sitting at the piano, his fingers dancing across the keyboard as he played a familiar piece that he couldn’t quite place. Aro didn’t even look up from the piano. “Marcus.” he greeted evenly. It wasn’t unkind, but it held the tone of someone who wished to be left alone. Marcus realized the tone of the song was just as somber as Aro’s mood.  
  
  
“Your bonds have changed.” Marcus remarked. There was no reason to beat around the bush. Aro disliked unnecessary superficiality; at least when it came to himself.  
  
  
When it came to others, Aro loved nothing more than dangling drama and frivolity in front of others like a mouse to a cat. Aro didn’t skip a beat when he heard the news.  
  
  
“Is that so?” he continued playing, as if the two of them weren’t discussing as serious a topic as bonds. Like they were simply discussing something as mundane as the weather.  
  


“You have a new bond…it is very strong,” he commented, “and your wife’s bond has diminished a considerable amount, Aro.”  
  
  
“ _And?_ ” he snapped. His piano playing had become more intense if possible and he was practically slamming on the keys.  
  
  
“And it is almost _black_ , Aro,” he decided to be as blatant as possible. “And the bond you now share with your new… _acquaintance_ …is overwhelmingly bright.”  
  
  
The vampire stayed silent, his piano playing slowing down a bit as his mind began processing this information.  
  
  
“As strong as a newly formed mating bond.” Marcus supplied, slow and certain.  
  
  
“The strongest bond that I have seen you have in a _long time_.”  
  
  
The keys on the piano stopped sharply and the sound echoed through the room like a long sigh. Aro’s eyes finally met his, and Marcus immediately saw through his brother’s cool bravado to what was lying underneath. He was scared. For the first time in a long time, Aro’s face betrayed self doubt.  
  
  
“This woman is important to you.” Marcus proclaimed.  
  
  
Aro shifted uncomfortably. His mouth worked as if he was trying to figure out what to say and how to say it. Finally, the dark haired vampire managed to utter out three devastating words that Marcus knew took a lot for him to say out loud.  
  
  
“ _She hates me_.”  
  
  
Marcus studied the usually exuberant vampire, “Aro, you have left your wife to fade away in a tower that you practically imprisoned her in for years. I would hate to see you make that mistake again.”  
  
  
“So what do I do?” Aro asked. There were, for once, no games being played, no false charm or insincere words. He was straightforward. Marcus was startled by the genuineness.  
  
  
“Make her not hate you.”  
  
  


* * *

***fans self* Oof-  
  
  
Aro and Ramona need help. They're a fucking hot mess lol  
  
**

**Well you all were waiting for Marcus, here he is!**


	17. Triumph

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi everyone! Hope everyone is still doing okay and keeping safe right now. 
> 
> I WANTED to post this chapter yesterday, but before I posted I wanted to write a bit more of the chapter I was working on, and Google Docs was being annoying. THAT, and my laptop has a virus right now that changes my search engine from Google to Bing, and Bing SUCKS, and it's mad annoying when I'm trying to look up information for the story lol But I managed to at least figure the issue out with Google Docs and I was able to write last night (until like 330AM because I'm a crazy person apparently).
> 
> Also, with the first sentence of this chapter - you guys are either gonna hate me or love me lol 
> 
> Also: La Toscana Ballet Company is a fake ballet company. I considered using a real company I found in Florence, but I figured for simplicity's sake, as well as to avoid anyone from that actual company saying anything (unlikely I know), I'd just make up one. 
> 
> Anyways, I hope all you lovely people enjoy the chapter! <3

* * *

Both of the pregnancy tests that Ramona had taken proved to be negative. One pink line stared up at her as evidence that she was not pregnant. She had taken both, just to be certain, and because she was convinced that Aro would _insist_ that she take more than one _just in case.  
  
_

Ramona wasn’t surprised. After all, that was the _entire point_ of taking the Plan B pill, and although she was not well versed on the subject of strange, immortal pregnancies, she couldn’t imagine that she would be cursed with the scenario of becoming pregnant from just twosexual encounters.  
  
  
Life was crazy and awful but it couldn’t be _that_ cruel to her.  
  
  
Aro would be disappointed. She wondered if he was banking on her becoming pregnant right away since she was giving him the cold shoulder since finding out he was a vampire. The man was obviously used to getting his own way. She couldn’t help but feel some smug satisfaction at this being the small kick to his overinflated ego that he rightly deserved. Ramona was certain she’d feel triumphant when she told him.  
  
  
He had left her in the middle of the night, without any indication of when he would return. She also realized that they never _truly_ had a clarifying conversation regarding her request to go outside. He certainly _seemed_ to acquiesce, but she couldn’t be certain. And he wasn’t here to confirm it for her.  
  
  
She took a shower and changed into a pair of leggings and a warm white sweater. She let her hair hang in loose curls around her shoulders, put on some light makeup, and threw on her boots. Ramona checked her backpack to see if she could find her wallet, but no such luck. But _what was this_ —the pepper spray that Charlie gave her was still where she had hidden it, tucked away in a small pocket at the bottom of the bag. Looking at it thoughtfully, she took the pepper spray and shoved it in her back pocket. _Just in case_ —  
  
  
Well, she wasn’t going to wait around all day for Aro to see if she was going to be able to go outside or not. Grabbing the winter coat that Aro had brought along with her— _she had to begrudgingly admit, he did well remembering to take all of her things for her_ — she hesitantly touched the front door’s door knob and gave it a small tug, half expecting to find the resistance of a lock. But she was proven wrong; the door swung open revealing the bustling streets of the Italian city.  
  
  
Upon encountering her first taste of freedom, Ramona realized three things: one, that she didn’t have a key to let herself back in…two, that she couldn’t speak Italian…and three, that Ramona had no idea where she was going.  
  
  
Not knowing where to go was frankly the least of her concerns; Ramona had lived by herself in New York City for the past four years. She knew how to get around and had no problem using public transportation if needed. However, she imagined that was much easier when you spoke the language. Besides the beginner level Italian she took years ago in high school that she barely remembered, and the few endearments that Aro liked to call her, she didn’t actually _know_ much Italian. And while she knew that most of the world had some grasp on the English language, Ramona hated the thought of being perceived as an ignorant tourist.  
  
  
Gathering her courage, Ramona stepped outside of the condo and into the foreign streets of Florence. The freedom was exhilarating; even though it had only been a couple of days, it felt like a lifetime since she left the condo. But before she had a moment to prepare herself, Ramona was scared shitless as a dark figure practically _jumped_ beside her out of seemingly _nowhere_. She shrieked.  
  
  
In a moment of chaos, Ramona’s brain did recall the pepper spray that she stuffed in her coat pocket. She pulled it out and, without looking, sprayed the unknown figure with a barrage of the stuff right in the eyes. She heard a snarl, as well as a shout—“ _Che cazzo!”_ —and she opened her eyes to see who the recipient was. To her bemusement, it was the vampire that had been assigned to watch over her “ _At all times”.  
  
_  
 _Well this is what he gets_ — she thought to herself, as she watched him rub his eyes violently. If possible, his already strange red eyes had become even redder.  
  
  
“Oh sorry— I didn’t see you there!” she laughed, feigning innocence. The man glared at her as he continued to rub his eyes.  
  
  
“Thanks for that,” he muttered. However, she noticed that his eyes were already looking back to normal. She recalled that Aro did not get hurt from holding the sharp edge of a blade…damn vampires and their strange healing capabilities…in a huff, she already started walking off away from him. Where to, she didn’t know or didn’t care. The vampire caught back up to her in less than a second. _He’s fast_ — _faster than Aro_ , she realized with dismay. It would probably be impossible to lose him.  
  
  
“Of course Aro sends his stooge out to watch over me,” she scowled. He smirked.  
  
  
“Master Aro requested that I accompany you through the city,” he answered, and he looked over her thoughtfully, “and he told me to tell you that he was being _more than generous_ by letting you out at all, so not to give me a hard time.”  
  
  
She snorted in derision. “As if _I_ could give you a hard time, you’re stronger and faster than I’ll ever be.”  
  
  
The vampire chuckled, “Well, you already assaulted my eyeballs, so I’d say that we can call it even.” Ramona smiled despite herself and found that she couldn’t hate him _that much._ It wasn’t his fault that Aro decided she needed a babysitter—and he’d never been outright awful to her. But she’d been rude…she guessed she could have been a _tad_ less hostile.  
  
  
“What’s your name anyway?” she asked after a few minutes of silence, as they strolled along the busy streets. They awkwardly shuffled past some street peddlers who were trying to pawn off roses on the two of them.  
  
  
“Demetri,” he answered. She nodded.  
  
  
“Okay Demetri, I’m Ramona—” she told him, although she realized that he was probably already aware. “So…where is a good place to get a bite to eat around here?”  
  
  
The vampire stared at her blankly.  
  
  
She blushed, realizing the silliness of asking a vampire about _getting a bite to eat._ “Right…” she fidgeted awkwardly. Something must have dawned on him, and she watched him reach into his jacket pocket and pull out a cellphone. _Her cellphone_. A bubble of annoyance crept in her chest as he easily typed in her passcode, and she begrudged Aro for being able to read her mind just a _little bit more.  
  
_ _  
_“You have my cell phone.” a statement instead of a question. He gave her a look, and proceeded to pull out more of her belongings out of his pocket. “I also have your wallet, your license, and the keys to the condo too.” He jingled the keys in front of her face, teasingly. _Okay, maybe he does suck_ —she decided.  
  
  
He scrolled through her cellphone as if it wasn’t an incredibly rude thing to do. “There is a Starbucks about ten minutes from here…you Americans like Starbucks, yes?”  
  
  
She wanted to yell at him for assuming she would like Starbucks. But one venti hot dark chocolate caffé mocha later, she couldn’t find it within her to do so.   
  


* * *

Aro’s human pet had a lot more fire in her than he had expected. Demetri had remembered the girl’s sister when she arrived in Volterra; a shaking, nervous, anxiety-ridden female who had clung onto Edward Cullen like a small child. He had made the assumption that the elder sister would be very much the same.  
  
  
He was very, _very_ unfortunate in making this _very_ wrong assumption.  
  
  
Demetri did not know where on earth the damned girl got pepper spray, or _how_ Aro had missed that when he was packing the backpack of the girl’s belongings—but it was taking every ounce of effort within him not to take that pepper spray out of the girl’s hands and spray it right back in her face.  
  
  
If he wasn’t certain that his master would be angered, he’d have done it.  
  
  
Fortunately for Demetri, Florence was experiencing a very cloudy and very snowy December this winter, and he was able to walk around with the girl as she insisted on exploring the city. She sipped on the caffeinated beverage she bought and he listened to her silently as she rambled on for _quite a bit_. Rambling about the city, about New York, about how much she hated Aro, about how she didn’t know much Italian, about how she needed to find a ballet company, more complaints about Aro, about her sister and parents, about the weather, about Aro…  
  
  
“I don’t understand why you want to find a ballet company anyways,” Demetri finally responded, as they chatted briefly about her plans to look for a company in the city. “You’re free of responsibility. Why wouldn’t you just take advantage of it and sit around and do nothing? That’s what S—” he stopped himself.  
  
  
Ramona quirked an eyebrow, “What?”  
  
  
Demetri studied the girl and decided against saying what he was about to say; he had a sneaking suspicion that she knew nothing about Aro being married, and _he_ wasn’t going to be the one to break that revelation. He also didn’t want to face the wrath from Aro if he found out— “Nothing, I just…I don’t know if Aro would like it,” he said lamely, “you working.”  
  
  
The girl rolled her eyes, “It doesn’t _matter_ if he likes it or not. It’s not all about _him_.”  
  
  
It was Demetri’s turn to snort. “ ** _Everything’s_** about him.”  
  
  
Ramona clicked her tongue, “Oh, I’m _sure_ he makes it that way. But if Aro wants _anything_ to do with me anymore, he’ll find a way to deal.” She stole a glance at her cell phone. “Look at Google Maps and see if there are any ballet studios or companies nearby. I want to start searching today.”  
  
  
It hadn’t taken long, and Demetri was able to find a ballet company within walking distance. La Toscana Ballet Company. And they had open auditions. For the first time all day, he saw the girl beam with happiness.   
  


* * *

Finally, Ramona and Demetri found their way to the La Toscana Ballet Company’s studio. It was an old building, with a courtyard in the front, and a large black gate. Like everything else in Italy, the style of architecture was older, more romantic than the sleek modern buildings in New York. As she stared at the gate, she suddenly felt nervous and she glanced at her vampire companion for support. Demetri nodded, encouraging her to go in, and she breathed in a long sigh and went inside.  
  
  
The main lobby was large, although smaller than what she was used to in New York. A thin, beautiful olive-skinned receptionist sat at the front desk. Trying to appear confident, Ramona strolled over to the receptionist, who greeted her with a warm, friendly smile.  
  
  
“Buongiorno, signorina! Come posso aiutarti?” the Italian accent was thick and it took Ramona a few moments to translate the sentence in her head, but she understood it well enough. She silently thanked her high school for offering Italian as a foreign language.  
  
  
“Si, ma non parlo Italiano molto bene,” she managed, the foreign words sounding odd and stunted with her American accent. The receptionist’s eyes lit up in understanding.  
  
  
“Ah, sei Americana!” her smile widened, revealing perfect, white teeth, “How may I help you miss?” she switched to English.  
  
  
“Yes, I was wondering if the company had any openings for new dancers,” she asked, “You see, I have just moved here from New York and I am looking to join a new company here in Florence.”  
  
  
The receptionist hummed as she scrolled through her computer, “Well, I can give you an application to fill out. We will need for you to send us your resume, as well as three professional references. After we review your application, we will email you to set up an appointment for you to audition for our director.”  
  
  
Ramona nodded enthusiastically, and took the clipboard from the receptionist and took a seat. However, she immediately realized she was going to struggle filling out an application in Italian. Setting it down, she walked outside towards the front door where she found Demetri leaning against the wall. She gestured for him to come in, “I need your help,” she hissed, and he followed her inside. They took a seat together as he began assisting her with filling out the application.  
  
  
The receptionist smiled at the duo. “Oh, is this your boyfriend?” she asked.  
  
  
“ _No,_ ” Ramona said, rather harshly. Demetri gave her a look before grinning.  
  
  
“No, our American friend likes her men much _much older_ ,” he teased. Ramona glared at the vampire. _Dick_ —  
  
  
But Demetri had helped her fill out the application and the receptionist smiled and wished her luck. As Ramona left the building, she felt a skip in her step and was suddenly feeling hopeful for the first time in _days.  
  
_

* * *

  
Everything considered, Ramona actually had a very good day.  
  
  
She was very excited about finding the ballet company, and she knew she would be eagerly awaiting an email to set up her audition. Italy was like stepping into a dream; the cobblestone streets, the amazing aromas, the street venders and street performances dazzling her. After spending four years in a sea of grey, the foggy, smog-filled city of New York, Florence was _spectacularly_ colorful. 

  
Ramona begrudgingly accepted that she could get used to living here.  
  
  
Well, as long as she wasn’t imprisoned. Aro had kept his word and let her out, much to her surprise. Albeit with his obnoxious lackey’s supervision, but it was a start.  
  
  
She had finished her dinner and set down to settle on the couch and watch some television, resigning herself to a night of boredom, when she heard a knock at the front door. She frowned; who would be knocking on her door? Demetri had the key, and Aro tended to just waltz in without announcement.  
  
  
She was surprised, then, when she opened the door to find Aro standing outside waiting for her. He was wearing a smart black peacoat and pair of black leather gloves. He was shifting from foot to foot, uncharacteristically fidgety.  
  
  
Ramona wasn’t sure what the man was doing, knocking at her door this late at night, or what he was trying to pull, but she decided she didn’t care. He looked at her expectantly.  
  


She crossed her arms. “I’d invite you in, but it’s late and I hate you.”  
  


Aro’s jaw twitched, and it looked like he was working hard to stop himself from saying something. _How disappointing,_ she thought, _I’d love for him to say something so rude or crass that I’d have every right to slam the door in his face.  
  
_  
But he was full of surprises tonight, and instead of forcing his way in or making some crude remark while pressing himself against her like a _fuck boy_ , he stood outside the door patiently. She was about to tell him that there was _no chance_ of a round two if that was what he was looking for when he cut her off—  
  
  
“Would you like to go out?” he asked her. She frowned and considered it.  
  
  
She _was_ in Italy…it didn’t make sense to stay in the house all night when she had the opportunity to tour around the city. And her mom _did_ tell her to live a little.  
  
  
Ramona gave Aro a once over, and she wondered briefly if he wore the gloves because it would stop him from being able to read her thoughts. It was a small gesture but…it was _something_.   
  


She also noticed that he put his contacts back on, and she felt weird as she realized she was disappointed about that. Somehow, Ramona had grown used to his naturally unnatural eyes. After seeing him in the throes of passion the other night, sans contacts, she never had known how much the contacts were truly masking his emotions.  
  
  
In the deep recesses of her mind, she remembered her mother once telling her that love comes in at the eyes.  
  
  
Ramona realized she still didn’t answer him. He was still waiting for her patiently. “Fine…” she decided. “Let me grab my coat…”  
  
  
It was dark out, the sun had completely set and the streets were lit up with twinkling Christmas lights strung across the sky from building to building. Ramona was pleasantly surprised about that; her favorite part of Christmas were the lights. When her and Bella were little, Charlie used to drive them around Forks to see all of the lit up houses. They would ride around for hours and then he would take them out for hot chocolate after.  
  
  
“So where are we going?” she asked.  
  
  
“I thought you would like to go to the Uffizi Gallery,” he exclaimed. She did, very much so; on the list of tourist attractions she wanted to see, it was on the top of the list. She wasn’t able to get in earlier because of the long line that she had no desire to wait in.  
  
  
“But it's closed—” she was certain that it wouldn’t be open at this time. Aro smirked conspiratorially.  
  
  
“Not for us.” he took hold of her hand.  
  
  
Her heart skipped a beat in betrayal.  
  
  
In the dark of the night, golden lights shone against the Arno riverside, creating a fantastically beautiful glow. Ramona marvelled at the beauty, before they finally reached the large art museum. As she suspected, the galleria was indeed closed for the night, but as they got closer, she noticed that there were no security guards outside in the main palazzo. Ramona glared at the vampire suspiciously. Aro gave her a cheeky grin.  
  
  
“Do not worry, carina, I did not do anything,” she gave him a look that indicated she did not believe him. “Mmm, _okay_. But I didn’t do anything _bad._ Let’s just say that the security guards are otherwise _occupied_ at the moment.”  
  
  
She didn’t know what that meant, but she decided she didn’t want to. Ramona watched bemused as Aro picked the lock— _was he a common criminal in his former life?_ — and they were able to get inside. He took her hand in his one more time.  
  
  
Ramona had only been to a few art museums in her life; there were a few very small, local art museums in Washington near where she lived that she used to visit when she stayed with Charlie, but they had mostly modern and contemporary art. When she lived in New York, she visited the Met for the first time, and she thought that was the epitome of art.  
  
  
 _But this…_ she was completely out of her comfort zone, and she suddenly felt so fundamentally and insignificantly _small_. Aro guided her down the marble floors of the corridors, aligned with busts and statues of important historical figures, religious figures, Greek and Roman gods and goddesses—  
  
  
If she looked closely, details of small golden cherubs laid hidden in the architecture. The ceilings were high and domed, adorned with paintings of angels, and saints, and crucifixes. Aro would stop and patiently wait so that she could slowly marvel at the paintings, taking in all of the details. There were ninety three rooms in the museum; each room was filled with masterpiece after masterpiece. Botticelli, Michaelangelo, DaVinci, Caravaggio, Raphael…they were all there, and Ramona had a perfect view of all of them. She didn’t have to squeeze around ignorant tourists or angry guards; it was just her and Aro, and the museum was theirs for the night.  
  
  
Every once in a while Aro would speak up, explaining something to her about the painting or sculpture she was looking at. Ramona was floored at how much he knew; _sure_ , she understood that he was over a thousand years old, that he’d know _quite_ a bit, but _still_ …Aro knew every single artist, who did what, when they did it, what they were trying to portray, the historical and political ramifications—she’d call him a bit of a showoff if she wasn’t so impressed. She would hum politely though, maybe follow up with a question or two… _just enough_ to satisfy her own intellectual cravings while carefully navigating the man’s insurmountable ego.  
  
  
It wasn’t lost on Ramona, as she took in the paintings dating as far back as the 12th and 13th centuries, that there was a lot of religious artwork, specifically on Madonna and Christ. She was silently studying Duccio’s _Rucellai Madonna,_ admiring the golden paneling and stylized image, not realizing that she had stopped and stared at the painting for _far too long._ But something about it was _calling to her_ , and caused her heart to start thumping wildly in her chest at the painting of Madonna, sitting regally on a throne, holding the small infant child.  
  
  
Aro seemed to notice that she was stuck on the painting, unable and unwilling to move her eyes from the image that was _searing_ itself into her soul. The vampire stood next to her and gazed up at the painting, and then over to her. Ramona refused to meet his stare.  
  
  
“Are you religious, carina?” he asked softly. She shook her head.  
  
  
“No. I mean…our nana used to make Charlie take Bella and I to Christmas and Easter mass when we spent the holidays in Forks, and I went through the whole first holy communion thing as a child—” she thought about it, “But I—I don’t know. Haven’t thought about it in a _long time.”  
  
_

Aro studied her, “There are many of…my _kind_ , that consider us damned.”  
  
  
Ramona absorbed the information. “Do you think you’re damned?”  
  
  
“I do not know.”  
  
  
She didn’t know what to say to that. Everything became a lot more serious and Ramona was feeling uncomfortable talking about topics such as _being damned._ And she didn’t _want_ to talk about it…or even think about Aro and _his soul_.  
  
  
The painting was still calling to her. She didn’t like it. “Why are there so many pictures of the Virgin Mary and baby Jesus anyway?” she asked rudely.  
  
  
Aro thought about it. “It was considered one of the most beloved and most reverent acts of artistry to create images of the Madonna and the child.” he looked at the painting, “It was a very popular commission back in the day…to show your devotion to the virgin mother. In fact, I have a painting back in my study of the Madonna and Christ. An original Ferruzzi. I believe that I got it back in—” he whistled, thinking, “1897.”  
  
  
Ramona tried to ignore how uncomfortable it made her to think of how old he was. She looked at the Virgin Mother and thought, _did she even want it all?_ “It seems unfair.” she said out loud. Aro looked at her curiously, and she blushed. “The Virgin Mother. She didn’t choose her fate…she didn’t choose to be a mother.”  
  
  
“ _Ah.”_ Aro made a thoughtful humming sound. “The Madonna consented and accepted her fate though, cara mia. When the angel Gabriel came to Mary and revealed to her God’s will, she said- _behold, I am the handmaid of the Lord. May it be done to me according to your word._ ” He looked at the painting reverently. “Her blessed visage is worshipped all over the world, the mother being the epitome of unconditional love and sacrifice.”  
  
  
Ramona considered it. She never paid that much attention to her religious education and didn’t really care to start now. But she knew that the conversation wasn’t _really_ about the Virgin Mary, anyhow.  
  
  
“I took the pregnancy tests.” her voice didn’t waver. But she looked over to him in curiosity to see how he would take the news. “They were negative.”  
  
  
His face betrayed nothing. Aro didn’t even _blink._ He simply turned around and started walking towards the arched doorway. “The Bottecelli’s are in the next room, cara mia, you should see them before we leave.”  
  
  
Ramona stared at his retreating form silently, feeling lost. She expected him to be angry. To yell at her, or say something rude or nasty, or tell her that they would have to try again. But he said nothing. She didn’t feel quite as triumphant as she thought she’d feel.

* * *

**Italian Translations:**

**_Che cazzo! -_ Basically "What the fuck!"  
  
"Buongiorno, signorina! Come posso aiutarti" - Good morning miss! Can I help you?  
  
"Si, ma non parlo Italiano molto bene" - Yes, but I don't speak Italian very well (- grammatically incorrect lol)  
  
"Ah, sei Americana!" - Ah, an American.   
  
**

* * *

  
**There you go folks. She's not pregnant lol  
  
** **At least...not yet? :O  
  
Although with the way that things are going, not sure how Aro is gonna pull that one off...  
  
Also I'm sorry if the religious components made anyone uncomfortable? I'm not trying to, but I figured they're in Italy, lots of paintings are religious, Aro is thousands of years old so of course he'd have a good grasp of religion, and I couldn't NOT use the symbolism that I had in front of me. I HAD TO.   
  
**


	18. Make Her Not Hate You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday!!!!
> 
> Honestly, only reason I'm excited for this chapter is because it's one step closer to the next chapter, which is what I'm really excited for lol This chapter was fun to write though. It's nice to get it change the tone up a bit, especially since the tone of this story has been rather tense the last several chapters. I hope you like it though and think it makes sense. 
> 
> Also I don't know if any would have noticed, but I made a small art wink in the last chapter - Ferruzzi's "Madonnina", this really beautiful painting of the Virgin Mary and child, is actually considered lost and its current location is unknown. I thought it would be a fun wink to say that it actually is in Volterra and owned by an arrogant vampire king hahahaha. So case solved! 
> 
> I love you all for your continued support of this story. Right now, with my work situation starting to become wonky, and writing this is one of the few things making me happy and making me feel productive. <3 <3

* * *

Over the last millenia, Aro had seen and witnessed most of the artistic masterpieces in which the world had to offer and  _ would  _ offer. Perhaps it was his old soul, but the vampire couldn’t quite find himself enjoying the  _ contemporary  _ art pieces that were flouted his way. Most of the artists insisted that there were some  _ deeper _ , intellectual or political remark to be said about the pieces…Aro just saw canvas with a red circle in it and thought that it lacked the charisma needed to be truly  _ worth _ anything. The Volturi had been a patron of the arts for centuries, and he was quite proud of the work of his patrons over the many years. Some had even been  _ quite _ a surprise that they did as well as they did;  _ who would have known  _ that Dutch art dealer would have become as lucrative as he did.  
  


And yet, watching these old paintings and sculptures, ones that he had seen a thousand times over, through new eyes…he understood why parents would bring their children to places they’ve been before, rewatch movies, reread books. Ramona was a woman, but there was still a youthful glow about her, fascination sparkling in her eyes as she took in things she had never seen before. He was seeing the world anew through her eyes and it was beautiful.  
  
  
This certainly did not help alleviate his all-consuming desire for a child.  
  


But Aro had taken Marcus’ counsel to heart, and had thought long and hard about what his brother said, about his and Ramona’s  _ bond.  _ Aro couldn’t quite understand it, or how it happened…she brought out both the best and worst in him. But as he stared at the beautiful, curious creature in front of him…who cocked her head from side to side when she was confused, who bit her lip in annoyance, who mindlessly touched her mouth as if to bite her nail when she was studying something intently — _ what he wouldn’t  _ **_do_ ** _ for her.   
  
_

He was old. And he hadn’t _courted_ in almost a millenia.  
  
  
Even Sulpicia he hadn’t really needed to court. Their marriage had been a political arrangement; he had needed to secure an alliance with the Austrian coven in order to defeat the Romanian coven, and the strongest alliances were built through marriage. And he didn’t really _care_ who it was back then— _so long as she was at least lovely to look at_ —he needed an _army_ , and that was all that was important. Caius had made the same deal many years later with his own wife, Athendora, who secured another alliance between them and a much smaller Greek coven that helped broker the tensions between them and the Egyptians. That match was quite advantageous—it even helped get them to recruit dear Chelsea.   
  


If Aro thought back— _really, really, really far back_ — he slightly remembered doing some version of “courting” in his human life. He was thirty nine, just short of forty, when he was changed, far past the normal age in which men took wives and had children. _He couldn’t even remember_ ** _why_** _he hadn’t had a wife or child._ But before he knew it, his human life was taken and his second life began.  
  
  
Marcus had said “ _Try to make her not hate you”_ , and he wasn’t unintelligent enough to get the hint that if he wanted _any chance of_ ** _anything_** working out between him and Ramona…that he was going to need to swallow his pride and attempt to… _woo_ her.  
  
  
Even thinking about it made him feel like a teenage boy.  
  
  
Though it wouldn’t have been the first time with the girl. His mind wandered to the demeaning police car incident with her father and he realized that this was becoming a pattern.  
  
  
As they wandered the Uffizi, he noticed that she seemed particularly stuck on a certain painting of the Madonna and child. A popular image, there were several paintings of this exact image throughout the museum, but Ramona had been stuck on it as if in a trance.   
  


They plunged their way through the rough conversation, the unsaid comparisons sitting heavy on both of their minds and hearts. Aro _knew_ that this wasn’t easy for her.  
  
  
“I took the pregnancy tests,” she said, her voice clear and steady. “They were negative.”  
  
  
It _was_ disappointing. Even though he knew that there was a high probability that she wouldn’t be pregnant…it didn’t stop him from _hoping_. Not only would he have the child he wanted to have with her, but perhaps it would be something that she could grow to love…and, perhaps _eventually_ , she would grow to love him. Despite everything.  
  
  
At the moment, he had no idea if it would _ever_ be a reality. She had been _so adamant_ against them having intercourse. She treated him like a monster—  
  
  
Which in so many ways, _he was_ , but…there had been a time in which she didn’t think he was. A time when she almost convinced him that he _wasn’t_.  
  
  
“ _Make her not hate you.”  
  
__  
_ _So be it,_ he thought to himself. All he could do was turn around and march on.  
  
  
_Things will work out_ , he thought. They always did, for Aro, in the end. 

* * *

Ramona had told Demetri to keep a constant eye on her phone for if she received any emails from the company. After bothering him for about the forty seventh time to check, he was finally able to appease the human by informing her she received an email to audition on Friday.  
  
  
The next three days passed by outrageously slowly as Ramona had nothing of importance to do to keep herself busy. She prayed that she nailed the audition and got a position in the company because sitting around doing nothing all day was becoming tiring.  
  
  
Each morning, she would wake up early like she was used to doing back at home. She’d make herself breakfast, take a shower, and do some yoga to keep her body strong and flexible. Then, she’d step outside and Demetri and her would explore the city for a bit. But there was only so much perusing the small little stands and shops and eating she could do. In the evening, she would come home, make herself dinner, and then wait for Aro to show up at her door in the late hours of the night.  
  


On Tuesday, he showed up and stood outside of the door again. He offered to take her on a stroll around the piazza. The sky was clear and it was actually on the warmer end of the spectrum that night, and she didn’t need a coat. They found a stand selling small, fried donut balls with honey and sprinkles on them called struffoli. Ramona thought they were _lovely_. Aro watched her as she licked the honey off her fingers.  
  
  
On Wednesday night, she was drunk when he arrived. She had realized, in horror, that she had spent several days in Italy without calling Derrick to let him know what had happened and that she wouldn’t be returning. Truthfully, she had been avoiding the phone call like the plague. She had felt too much overwhelming guilt about disappearing the way that she did. She convinced Demetri to let her use her cell phone, and when she called her former production manager, she had received quite an earful as well as a threat that “ _she would never dance in New York ever again!”_.  
  
  
So of course she had gotten blissfully smashed. But Aro had kept good wine in stock, so she thought— _might as well not let it go to waste_.  
  
  
Ramona couldn’t quite remember what had happened. Her memory was foggy, but she slightly remembered coming on to Aro as he knocked on the door. But as far as she could tell, nothing had happened, so…maybe she was wrong. Because _god knows_ her vampire would take full advantage of a situation like that.  
  
  
On Thursday, she was tired, and she actually let him inside.   
  


“I need to learn Italian if I’m going to be staying here,” she said. She was watching some bad Italian soap opera with the hope that it might be able to help her get used to the language. But after the second murderous husband plot and fourth extramarital affair, Ramona wasn’t sure how much more of bad, overly dramatic television she could stand.  
  
  
Aro, who was quietly lounging on the plush couch next to her, quietly dealing with the shoddy television show that she decided to put on, agreed. “I will teach you.”  
  
  
She had to admit that he was, in fact, a good teacher…after they did an overview of what she had already learned and what she remembered from high school, he was able to organize a syllabus for what she needed to work on in order to hold conversational Italian.  
  


They were chatting back and forth for about thirty minutes now, using only Italian, Aro not letting her slip up or try to use English when she encountered a word she didn’t know. He was adamant and strict with his teaching. But it was actually very good practice.  
  
  
“Io ho un’audizione domani” Ramona garbled out, hoping that it sounded correct.  
  
  
Aro hummed “ _Domani_ ho un’audizione,” he corrected her, fixing the sentence structure. He had to do that quite a bit, but he was rather patient with her and never mocked her for her mistakes. “Questa è una notizia fantastica,” he grabbed her hand and placed a small kiss. She blushed. It was the first time she had felt his touch in _days._ “In bocca al lupo!” he cheered.  
  
  
Ramona’s face twisted in confusion. “In…in the mouth of a wolf?”  
  


Aro chuckled heartily, “It means, good luck, cara mia. An Italian idiom, I’m afraid. Do not take it so literally.” He tucked a piece of hair behind her ear and smiled at her.  
  
  
But of course because things were never simple for long, Ramona’s heart started beating fast in betrayal and she cursed herself. He seemed to notice a shift in her mood, and Aro looked at her cautiously, as one might wearily stare at a wild animal before it pounced. She swallowed nervously, and she could feel herself begin to unconsciously lean towards him, as he leaned towards her, their bodies being pulled forward by some unseen force—  
  
  
Ramona shook her head forcefully, surely giving herself a headache, as she turned to look away from him. “T-that’s probably enough Italian for tonight.” she stammered.  
  
  
There was a long pause, and he didn’t give her any response; she bit her lip, feeling nervous, and turned to see what he looked like. Aro was trying, and failing, to hide his disappointment. Her stomach turned at his expression.  
  
  
“Of course,” he murmured. He rose slowly from the couch, “I should get going, anyways, carina.”  
  
  
_Already?_ The small voice in her head whined. But she _couldn’t_ say that out loud.  
  
  
“Oh…okay,” she awkwardly walked with him towards the door. As his hand grasped the doorknob to open it and leave, he turned towards her one last time. She stiffened, both nervous and hopeful that he would kiss her.  
  
  
_I shouldn’t want this, I shouldn’t want this, I shouldn’t want this_ —  
  
  
He wasn’t touching her, or holding her hand, but it seemed that he knew what she was thinking anyhow. _As he always seemed to_ , she thought bitterly. He looked nervous though, and it made the butterflies in her stomach go crazy as she realized he was just as anxious as her.  
  
  
Aro was the one to lean forward. But he simply kissed her cheek. She held her breath.  
  
  
“Goodnight, Ramona,” he said softly.  
  
  
“Buona Notte, Aro.”  
  
  


* * *

The week had been arduous for Aro. He had done his best to try and act like a gentleman around Ramona, wanting desperately to win back her favor. Although she had not _completely_ turned him away, he knew that she still held a grudge in her heart towards him and the easy, carefree warmth from New York was still gone.  
  
  
It didn’t help that things at the castle were also becoming a lot more busy and required his attention; the issue in Prague was more serious that the kings had originally imagined, and Aro found himself judging and listening to the stories of several newborns who had defected from the region. Not that Aro minded—he generally _enjoyed_ this part of the position, being the judge, jury, and executioner of the vampire world—but it had taken him away from being able to spend any time with Ramona during the day. But he managed to get away in the late evenings, _somehow_ escaping the notice of his brother and the guard.  
  
  
On Tuesday night she refused to let him in the condo— ** _his own goddamn condo, the little brat_** — again, so he invited her out. She was surprisingly in a more pleasant mood that night; not friendly, per say, but Ramona wasn’t talking about how much she hated him, so he took that as a slight improvement. Pleased by her behavior, he had purchased her some struffoli at a local stand. Although, if Aro was being honest, it was just as much of a reward for _him_ as it was for her, watching as she _sinfully_ licked the honey off of her fingers.   
  


It took **_every_** _-ounce-of-willpower_ not to force his tongue in her mouth to taste the sweet substance as well.  
  
  
Although Aro was sure that he wouldn’t enjoy it. It had been a while since trying to ingest human food, but from what he remembered, anything that he would have enjoyed in his former life would taste like dust. _Still_ —the glistening on her mouth looked _quite_ delicious.  
  
  
It was Wednesday night that proved the most trying for the vampire, and while Ramona would likely not remember what had happened, Aro was going to keep this memory in the back of his head as a weapon for when the girl suggested he was selfish or cruel.  
  
  
The powerful smell of alcohol hit his nose the second that the door was opened, and he was startled at the sight of Ramona, absolutely _trashed_ and out of it. Her long dark curls were a mess upon her head, her cheeks were pink and flushed, her lips full and pouty…she wore nothing but a thin t-shirt, revealing a good portion of her cleavage, her perky nipples, and a small pair of pajama shorts that left almost nothing to the imagination. Her breath smelled of wine.  
  
  
_The silly thing got into the wine fridge_ , he thought exasperatedly.  
  
  
“ ** _Aro_** ,” the girl slurred his name, and her legs were barely holding her up as she leaned against the door. Her dark eyes were hooded and he realized that she was looking at him the way that she used to. When she _wanted_ him.  
  
  
Aro felt himself harden underneath his trousers and he swallowed.  
  
  
“I’m glad you’re here,” she slurred. She stumbled towards him and practically fell on him, her arms wrapping around his neck. Aro stiffened as he felt her small, warm body against his own. His erection throbbed angrily. She sighed into his neck. “ _I missed you_ —”  
  
  
“You’re drunk.” he commented. Ramona mewled against him.  
  
  
“Just a _little,_ ” she giggled. She sighed against him, “You-you can come in tonight, Aro,” she purred. “It’s okay, I _want_ you to come in.”  
  
  
_This is torture_ , Aro decided. He stared down at her as she pressed up against him. _It would be_ ** _so easy_**. And yet—  
  
  
“This is unfair,” Aro spoke out loud, not really to her, but to himself and to the world. He had her and yet he _didn’t_. “Unfair and cruel. Cruelly unfair.”  
  
  
Ramona shushed him, “ _N-no, nooo, come inside Aro, it’s OKAY_ —”  
  
  
He wasn’t going to take advantage of her in this state. If he was going to have her, and have her willingly, he wanted her sober. Sober Ramona was still angry with him, she wouldn’t have _wanted_ this.  
  
  
Still, he wasn’t going to miss out on the opportunity to be _so close_ to her if she wanted it. Aro picked the girl up in his arms, enjoying it as she sighed happily and nuzzled against his chest. _She could be so happy if she just stopped being stubborn_ , he thought. He tried to read her mind, but the alcohol was causing her memories and thoughts to become foggy.  
  
  
He laid her down in the bed, tucking her under the covers. Ramona curled up in a ball on her side and closed her eyes, already forgetting about the vampire that she had let into her bedroom. Aro smoothed her hair out of her face, gave her a final kiss on the forehead, and left her to her peaceful dreaming.  
  
  
The next day, when he came by and she let him in the house, she seemed to have no clear memory of what had happened that night. And yet, as he left her house that night, after he spent the majority of it suffering through her garbled Italian, he felt that _something_ had changed.   
  


* * *

  
She still felt that kiss on her cheek when she woke up the next morning, as if he had burned a mark on her skin that wouldn’t go away. As if that wasn’t enough to throw her off this morning, Ramona’s stomach was a bundle of nerves as she knew that in a couple of hours she would have her audition.  
  
  
Her stomach was tied in knots and all she was able to keep down was a grapefruit and a cup of coffee. It had felt so _right_ changing back into her dance clothes, not having worn a leotard, skirt, and leg warmers for days. She looked at the reflection of the girl in the mirror, the _ballerina_ …it was exactly who she was supposed to be.  
  
  
At 12PM, after she had done all of her stretches, she left the house to go to the ballet studio with Demetri in tow. Somehow over the course of the last few days, the vampire had turned into her life coach and he was currently giving her pep talk before her big audition. Apparently, her life had now turned into one big lifetime movie and all she needed was a supportive friend that gave pep talks and ridiculous advice.  
  
  
They reached the large black gate and she took a deep breath, trying to settle her nerves once and for all before she went into the building. “Go get ‘em, tiger.” Demetri encouraged, grinning ear to ear, “And remember! Worse comes to worst, you can always just stay home all day and wait for Aro to return to see you.”  
  
  
She shot him the nastiest look and reminded herself idly that she still had leftover pepper spray.  
  
  
The same receptionist from last time was sitting at the front desk, and she lit up when she saw the American come in. “Ah, l’Americana!” she announced, “We are so happy you are here. Please take a seat, and our program director, Signora Ionetti, will be with you shortly.”  
  
  
Ramona didn’t have to wait long for Signora Ionetti to come out and greet her. She was an older woman, probably late 40s, with olive skin and a lot of chestnut brown hair combed back into a tight bun. Her first impression of the director was that this was definitely not someone to cross. She gave off a rather formidable air and Ramona knew right away that this woman wasn’t going to be as easily charmed by her American accent as the receptionist.  
  
  
“Non pensare che solo perché non parli italiano, parlerò inglese per te.” the woman said in a stern voice. Ramona was immediately grateful for her Italian refresher lesson the other night. She was easily able to get the gist of what the director was saying to her.  
  
  
“Io prometto che non ti deludere” she managed, hoping that it was close enough to being correct. The director raised an eyebrow at the girl’s mangled attempt at Italian.  
  
  
Signora Ionetti hummed. “Your language is poor but it will do. Now, let us see your dancing.” She took her to an empty studio in the back of the building, the walls covered in mirrors and a single barre on the side. A piano was in the corner, and a young dark haired man, the maestro she assumed, walked in and took a seat. He shot Ramona an encouraging smile. “Ah, Luca has arrived,” the director nodded at the maestro, “Ramona. You will have twenty minutes to convince me. Ten may be at the barre.”  
  
  
Ramona nodded and took position at the barre. She closed her eyes, and waited for the maestro to begin.  
  
  
“Puoi iniziare.”  
  


As the maestro’s hands began playing the keys, Ramona was immediately relieved when she recognized the familiar piece. She immediately felt comfortable, and reminded herself— _you can_ ** _do_** _this, you played the lead in Swan Lake for Christ’s sake._ ** _Nothing_** _can stop you.  
  
__  
_ Muscle memory kicked in, and it was like Ramona was back in New York, at her studio, trying to listen to Derrick as he shouted at the soloists to perfect their form. But never _her_ — Ramona had always had perfect form, she was precise, and she was never yelled at or criticized for having incorrect form. Despite her aversion to most sports, Ramona had always considered being a ballerina as more of an athlete than an artist—of course, there was an artistic beauty to her dancing, but there was so much _strength_ , and _dedication._  
  
  
“Beautiful lines, Ramona,” the director said, as she watched her on the barre. The stern director stared her down, watching every step, every turn, every plié with a critical eye, unwavering. She moved away from the barré and began to feel empowered as she took on the space, connecting the rhythm of her steps in the enchainement. The transfer of her weight from one foot to another, the fluidity of her movements and the way she held her arms, she felt as if she was dancing the lead once again, like she had never stopped dancing. Like she was never _imprisoned. Here, in a studio, in her pointe shoes, she was free_ —  
  
  
She ended the audition with showing off her fouttés, knowing that if she showed off that she could nail thirty two perfect en pointe fouttés, she’d be golden. With a final turn, she completed her last spin and she ended the audition with a graceful bow, dipping her head low.  
  
  
Ramona wasn’t sure what she was expecting…maybe praise, or clapping, or a compliment, hell…even some criticism would be helpful, but the stoic director offered her nothing as she bent back up and looked at her in anticipation.  
  
  
Signora Ionetti gave her a final once over. “Inizierai lunedì,” she stated. Ramona nodded enthusiastically. The Italian director gave one last sigh. “And work on your Italian. I do not want to have to repeat myself for you.”  
  
  
“Si, Signora! Grazie!” she grinned from ear to ear. _She_ ** _got_** _it.  
  
__  
_ _Despite everything that has happened to her, she took control of her_ ** _own_** _destiny.  
  
__  
_ Ramona couldn’t help but wonder if Aro would be proud or disappointed that she nailed the audition and got the job. Old Aro, _New York_ Aro, would have said that he was proud of her and supportive of her, but…She didn’t know anymore.  
  
  
“Ben fatto!,” Luca, the young maestro, called out to her. She nodded back, checked in with Signora Ionetti and the receptionist, whose name she learned was Viola, to review more information and fill out paperwork. Unfortunately, she only had a few days in the beginning of the next week to begin, as then they would break for Christmas in the middle of the week. The company was finishing up their production of The Nutcracker and there wouldn’t be much for her to do, as everyone would be practicing for the show, but the director still wanted her to come in and get a feel for the company. It was actually a good time to join; they would finish up their winter season with The Nutcracker, and then Ramona would be beginning at the perfect time as they began their Spring season with Coppélia in March.  
  
  
Of course, her guard dog was loyally waiting for her outside of the building, hiding under a tree as the sky began to clear and it was actually pretty sunny. She smiled, enjoying the warmth of the sun’s rays, feeling as if they were her reward for a job well done. Demetri looked less pleased, and raised the hood of his jacket over his face.  
  
  
“I got the job!” she said excitedly, “I’m starting on Monday!”  
  
  
“Good for you.” he said grumpily. But not even Demetri’s poor mood could bring her down. She felt as if she was walking on air, floating, dancing; everything had turned out the way that she had hoped it would. Ramona was _determined_ that she was going to make this trip _mean_ something. Aro wasn’t going to take the chance of a lifetime to perform ballet in Italy away from her. She was going to take every advantage she had…and if that meant dealing with an arrogant vampire who was trying to _knock her up_ , she’d deal with it.  
  
  
Ramona realized she was playing with fire in that regard, but Aro _had_ been rather agreeable the last couple of days. He had taken her out to see the city, brought her to the museum, sat with her and offered to teach her Italian so she could communicate better with others—he had been, for the lack of a better word… _nice._ And yes, she knew some of it was just an act so that she could forgive him quicker and he could get his _spawn_. But, if she was being completely honest with herself…she enjoyed having him around. When he wasn’t being an arrogant prick, Aro was still the man she knew from before, in so many ways. Intelligent, charming, sharp witted…those qualities didn’t just go away because he had red eyes and couldn’t stand in the sun.  
  
  
When she returned to the condo, she was pleasantly surprised to see a bouquet of pink roses waiting for her on the kitchen island. Ramona bit her lip as she opened the small note card attached—  
  
  
_I knew you could do it, tesoro. Aro.  
  
  
_In spite of it all, Ramona was looking forward to seeing him show up at her doorstep.

* * *

**Italian Translations (I am so sorry there's so much this chapter, there won't be as many in the future, I got a bit carried away lol):**

** **“Io ho un’audizione domani” / “ _Domani_ ho un’audizione,” - "I have an audition tomorrow" (Ramona messed up the sentence structure)  
  
Questa è una notizia fantastica - "That is fantastic news** **

** **"In bocca al lupo!" - it means good luck, but the literal translation would be (in the mouth of the wolf) lol Kind of like "break a leg!" in English.** **

**“Non pensare che solo perché non parli italiano, parlerò inglese per te." - "Don't think that just because you don't speak Italian, I will speak English for you."  
  
“Io prometto che non ti deludere" - "I promise I won't disappoint you." (incorrectly grammatically)  
  
“Puoi iniziare.” - "You may begin"  
  
“Inizierai lunedì" - "You will start Monday".**

**"Ben fatto!" - "Well done!"  
  
**

* * *

**Could they....be GETTING ALONG?**

**Who'd have thought-**

**Probably not gonna last long** **though lol**


	19. The Nutcracker

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I just reread this chapter. Pffttt-I can't....I can't with myself. 
> 
> I can't believe I'm uploading this shit on a Monday lol 
> 
> Let me know what you guys think about this chapter! One of the fun things about this story is that because of the multiple POVS, there's so much tone shifts and I hope that it's okay for you all. Also hope that I'm still retaining your interest, one of my fears about writing a story so long is that people will get bored halfway through, but I know I have some really amazing, dedicated readers that I love and appreciate so much!!!

* * *

The city was colder that night than usual, with a bitter chill in the air that froze Ramona to the bones and made her long for a warm fire and hot chocolate. It was Sunday evening, and since she had nothing to do all day, and Aro was _nowhere_ to be seen, she dragged her guard dog to take her to see the Statue of David and grab her first slice of Italian pizza.  
  
  
She and Demetri were making their way back to the condo silently, both of them too distracted by their own thoughts to talk.   
  


Ramona hadn’t seen Aro in _days._ He never showed up Friday night after her audition, and she waited around all day on Saturday to see if he would show up and he never did. It got to a point in which she, in utter and complete embarrassment, asked Demetri if he had known what was up or why Aro wasn’t coming by. He claimed not to know anything though, so she had to deal with the fact that Aro wasn’t showing up for _some reason_ , as well as that she was so pathetic that she had to ask _fucking_ Demetri where he was.   
  


God—she needed to make some friends. Preferably the living kind.   
  


And although she knew that should have made her happy, she couldn’t quite shake the feeling of disappointment that she hadn’t seen Aro. She briefly wondered if he would come by the condo tonight. _I shouldn’t let him in_ , she thought bitterly. _Slam the door in his pale face.  
  
_  
When they arrived, she was a bit disappointed to find her condo empty, and she trudged up the stairs, expecting another boring, lonely night ahead of her. She supposed she could take the time to study up on her Italian.  
  
  
Ramona opened up the bedroom door and was hit with surprise as she saw an expensive looking garment bag lying on the bed. Next to it was a note. Cautiously, but with a swell of excitement in her chest, she grabbed the note and opened it slowly.

_Mona,_ _  
  
_

_We are going out tonight. I would like to see you wearing this when I arrive.  
_ _  
__  
__Aro_

Her heart thumped wildly in her chest, and she carefully pulled down the zipper to the garment bag to reveal a long, beautiful dress. The dress was velvet, so, _so soft,_ with a plunging neckline and long sleeves that she was thankful for as they’d keep her warm. A cascade of soft fabric flowed down to the floor, and with a slit on the side for her leg.   
  


She had no idea where he intended on taking her, but it was _clearly_ somewhere fancy from the gown that he bought for her. While she didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of having an enjoyable night out together, Ramona _did_ really want to go somewhere. It felt like it had been so long since she had a reason to get dolled up and go out and have fun.  
  
  
Ramona was in the middle of pinning up her curls when she heard a knock at the door downstairs. Checking herself in the mirror one last time, she smoothed her gown out and went to answer the door. She took a deep breath, willing her heartbeat to slow down, and opened it.  
  
  
Not for the first time, Ramona was taken aback by how _devastatingly_ handsome her vampire truly was. From what she understood, part of it was just a vampire thing; they all had the same smooth, marble pale skin that was flawless, with strong, toned bodies. But vampirism couldn’t change the face; change the bone structure…his high cheekbones, his lips, his nose…those were all undeniably him, parts of him left over from his human life. She was certain that she would have been just as smitten with him as a human.  
  
  
She wondered what color his eyes were, in his past life. The contacts he wore were green and made his eyes an odd muddy hazel color when worn over his red irises.  
  
  
She wondered if he picked green because it was his natural color.  
  
  
Aro was changed into a black double breasted suit—only a _small_ deviation from his usual single breasted jacket—with a crisp white button down underneath. His usual tie was replaced by a black bowtie, which caused Ramona to smirk as she had never seen him wear one before.  
  
  
The vampire took her in, his eyes hooded and dark, desire radiating off of him and causing her to feel indescribably _warm_. He looked her body up and down in an appreciative manner. “ _Sapevo che saresti stato magnifico_.” he whispered to himself. He gazed in her eyes. “You’re beautiful.”  
  
  
“The dress fits perfectly,” she mentioned simply, trying not to blush, and she moved aside to let him in the house. He came inside and circled around her, checking out each and every angle like a predator circling its prey.  
  
  
“It does,” he murmured. As he circled behind her, he spoke up. “Your zipper is down, carina.”  
  
  
She knew it was. She looked at him from behind her shoulder. “Help me?”  
  
  
Ramona lifted the curls out of the way that were cascading out of her high ponytail, revealing her back and the zipper that wasn’t quite all the way up. She closed her eyes as he crept up behind her, his fingers _ghosting_ her skin as he touched the zipper.  
  
  
In a moment like this, she could pretend everything was okay.  
  
  
She waited for him to do something. Waited for him to press his lips against the bare skin of her back…to pull the zipper down instead of up and feel his way down her back…even make some form of suggestive comment, _something._ But his fingers pulled the zipper up, and all she was rewarded with was the feeling of his touch _lingering_ on her skin just a _little longer_ than necessary before letting go. She stopped herself from whining.  
  
  
“Let’s go, cara mia.” he took her hand in his and left the house.  
  
  
Ramona felt breathless as she practically had to skip to keep up with him as he pulled her outside, his excitement radiating and rubbing off on her. She couldn’t help but grin, and as they turned a corner, and she was surprised to see a plain, modern white taxi cab waiting for them. In her mind, she asked the ridiculously _wealthy_ vampire what game he was playing at—he could literally have an expensive limo with someone he knew and trusted pull up, what was he doing hailing a random taxi cab, with a total stranger, it was unnecessarily stupid and somewhat dangerous.   
  


Aro grinned, “A little danger won’t hurt you.”  
  


Ramona would later feel flustered by the small inhumane noise she made in response.   
  


The taxi was clean, and she felt a bit better after seeing the regular, human driver, that he didn’t seem like a complete creep. The two of them climbed into the back, and after the man attempted to engage Aro in idle pleasantry—which her arrogant vampire made _no attempt_ to engage in—he turned on the music station to some random, Italian techno music. Ramona actually liked it though, and she felt herself swaying her shoulders to the rhythm.  
  


She caught Aro watching her and couldn’t help but smile just a bit.  
  
  
Ramona looked back out the window of the taxi, wondering where it was taking them. She was getting more and more accustomed to the streets, but she didn’t know them by heart yet and she didn’t know enough Italian to understand all of the signs. Ramona was craning her neck to see if she recognized the church that they were driving past when she felt a cold touch on her thigh. 

  
She turned towards him curiously. “Aro?” she whispered. He didn’t say anything, he wasn’t even _looking_ at her anymore, his gaze focused outside the window…but without saying anything, his hand slowly inched down into the slit of her dress, until his hand was splayed across her warm bare thigh. His touch was so cool, and she could feel goosebumps forming as he lightly stroked little circles into her bare skin with his thumb.  
  


Ramona looked towards the front of the taxi towards the cab driver, wondering if he would look back and see Aro’s hand in her dress. The driver didn’t seem to notice, and Aro gave no indication that he noticed her concern, but continued his light touches. Never moving down, never creeping towards her more _intimate_ region…just feather light touches that were slowly driving her **_insane_** _.  
  
_ _  
_The light massaging continued until they finally reached their destination, and Ramona immediately recognized the building that they were at and had to stop herself from jumping up and down like a child. The historic opera house was well known and she had hoped for an opportunity to go and see something at the theatre since she realized she was in Florence. They exited the taxi, Aro giving the man a _very generous tip_ , and took her by the elbow and slowly guided her past the line of people waiting outside, to a side door. The man seemed to know Aro and bowed his head reverently, before opening the door and letting them inside without a word.  
  
  
Ramona raised an eyebrow for explanation. The vampire gave her a smug look, “The Volturi are great patrons to the arts, carina.” he said, as if that explained it all. “I have been attending this theatre for a _very long time_.”  
  
  
“So what, you just get free access?” she scoffed, “It’s not like you even _need it_ , you have tons of money, that doesn’t seem fair.”  
  
  
He waved a hand dismissively, “Ah, what is _fair_ anyways, cara mia.” She watched as he looked around his surroundings nostalgically. “The Teatro della Pergola is the oldest opera house in Italy…I remember when this was _first built_. I saw Mozart here—”  
  
  
She realized in that moment she had so many questions for her companion that she never thought to ask him…he had been alive for _a thousand years_ , he must have seen so many amazing things. Talking to him would be like having her own personal history book.  
  
  
“Was he good?” she asked, barely believing that she was _actually_ asking Aro about how he liked seeing _Mozart_. As if this was an entirely normal conversation.  
  
  
“Meh,” Aro sniffed, itching his nose slightly as he peered around the entrance hall at all of the excited humans, “I preferred Bach.”  
  
  
Ramona knew he was lying but decided not to say anything. Instead, she tried to figure out what it was that they were seeing. She scanned the room for a playbill until she found a stack of the little booklets on a stand, and forced Aro over so she could grab one. Ramona’s eyes lit up.  
  
  
“The Nutcracker! You took me to see a ballet!”  
  
  
“ _Well_ , I had _wanted_ to take you to see Fat Brunhilde at the opera, but those were all taken.” he teased playfully. But his eyes were warm, and twinkling, and _so soft_ , and—  
  


And just like that, before she could even stop him, or _help herself_ , she began to let the vampire worm his way right back into her heart.   
  


* * *

Aro wanted her to want him again.  
  
  
He had been patient for over a week now, treading the water carefully, making sure that he never pushed her too far either and gave her just enough pull that she felt comfortable enough that there were even moments when it seemed _she_ was the one reaching out. He noticed it on several different occasions, that despite her lingering internal feelings of resentment, he was slowly winning her back. And then there was that _almost kiss_ , that she leaned towards, and when he decided to kiss her cheek in that moment instead of her lips, he read in her mind her slight disappointment at it being on the cheek, and he _knew_ —  
  
  
He had her. She was ** _his_** again.  
  
  
But it wasn’t that simple, and he knew it. His ballerina could be so stubborn and vicious, and if she felt like she was being tricked or manipulated in any way— _not that he was_ ** _trying_** _to manipulate her, he wanted her to want him again on her own accord_ —she could fight tooth and nail against him. He could be nice to her and she’d throw it in his face somehow, or yell at him, or pepper spray him.  
  
  
Aro had to admit, when Demetri told him about the unfortunate pepper spray incident, he was secretly _very thankful_ that it hadn’t happened to him. But the thought of his guard being sprayed in the face by his little ballerina was too amusing not to laugh at the poor boy.  
  
  
When she told him about joining the new ballet studio, the idea formulated in his brain and he checked La Toscana Ballet Company’s programming and sure enough, they were in the middle of performing The Nutcracker for their winter season. Better yet, they were performing at Teatro della Pergola, which he just so happened to be a patron of for the last few centuries. Aro knew she’d _love_ to see the ballet, not to mention bringing her to see the performance of her brand new company that she would be joining— _she’d love it.  
  
_  
So he took the liberty to purchase her a dress that he was very eager to see her in, and made the _very intentional_ decision to not see her for a couple of days, before their night at the ballet. He had hailed a taxi to the girl’s place and knocked on the door.  
  
  
Ramona was as stunning as he imagined. Her long dark curls were pinned up, spiraling down her back like soft, dark waves. Her makeup was minimalist but lovely, highlighting her best features, her dark eyes…and the dress, it looked amazing on her, just like he imagined. It hugged her small curves in the right places, and the neckline plunged down _just enough_ to reveal some of her delicate cleavage. _He wanted to kiss the space in between her breasts_ —  
  
  
“ _Sapevo che saresti stato magnifico_.” he couldn’t help but whisper. She was beautiful.  
  
  
The drive to the opera house had been interesting…Aro was curious how she would react to his touch, after having been without it for so long. And she didn’t _disappoint_ —he could hear her heart racing, the goosebumps raised on her flesh…better yet, she couldn’t hide her thoughts from him, and he knew that she felt that old _pull_ of desire for him in that moment. That, and—was she _excited_ about the possibility of being caught by the taxi driver? Aro’s mind raced at the idea.  
  
  
She gave him a bit of a hard time about getting in the theatre, but he knew that she was _pleased_ that she didn’t have to stand outside and wait in that line. His sweet girl could pretend all she wanted. _Besides, she’ll learn soon enough that_ ** _Volturi_** _do not wait in lines.  
  
_

“The Nutcracker!” the girl squealed in delight, “You took me to see a ballet!”  
  
  
“ _Well_ , I had _wanted_ to take you to see Fat Brunhilde at the opera, but those were all taken—” he teased playfully. She bit her lip to stop herself from giggling, but Aro could tell she was happy. _Actually_ happy.  
  
  
They made their way to the private opera box seats that Aro had reserved for the Volturi for the last couple hundred of years, where nobody would be able to see them. He watched Ramona looked over the balcony in excitement, and she commented on the beauty and grandness of the theatre, and how happy she was that everyone seemed to dress up. As she marvelled in childish joy, he ordered her a glass of champagne from an attendant and settled into the seat. The crowd began to fill in the theatre, and Ramona joined him and waited for the ballet to begin.  
  
  
Aro had seen the Nutcracker many, _many_ times throughout the last hundred years or so; when the ballet first came out shortly before the turn of the 20th century, there had been a period of time in which Athendora had demanded that Caius and him take the wives to see the ballet every Christmas. _Fortunately for Aro_ , Sulpicia did not care for it as much, and Caius could only stand the yearly ballet for two decades before putting an end to the madness.  
  
  
But he hadn’t seen it in a while, and there was something to be said about seeing it again with Ramona. Her _appreciation_ did not go unnoticed, and it was a refreshing change to see his wealth get put to actual good use, for the first time in a long time. Aro watched her in the corner of his eye as she watched the ballet intensely. She made little noises when she had a thought, small gasps in both horror and delight, whispers of “oh, the girl who is playing Clara’s lines are _perfect_ —”, as well as the occasional, “my pointe work is better than that…”  
  


As they reached the end of the first Act, ending with the snow scene between the Snow Queen and King and the waltz of the snowflakes, Aro looked over to see Ramona finishing up her glass of champagne. He placed a hand on her arm, but she didn’t notice; she was as bubbly at the fritzy alcohol, her cheeks flushed and eyes sparkling at the dancing below. The snowflakes were dancing in synchrony and Clara joined the Nutcracker Prince onto the chariot and they were swept away. The curtain closed, scenery darkened, and the crowd erupted in a massive applause as the intermission began.  
  
  
Ramona had lifted herself from her seat and leant against the balcony railing, clapping enthusiastically for the ballet dancers. She smiled, and turned back around to face Aro, still leaning back against the railing. Aro didn’t move from his seat. He was taking her in once again, admiring her in the glow of the soft, dim lights of the theatre. _She is perfect,_ he thought.  
  
  
“That was so good,” she was practically _swaying_ in delight. “Do you like it so far?”  
  
  
Aro glanced at the creature in front of him. “I do, cara mia. It is a wonderful performance.” She grinned in satisfaction.  
  
  
“And I’m going to be _dancing_ with them soon!” her smile shined brightly.  
  
  
“I am very happy for you, carina.” Aro said evenly. It held some truth. The girl being content was clearly necessary, and he realized that she wouldn’t _be_ content if she didn’t have some form of vocation to occupy herself with. His damn little work rat.  
  
  
The girl appeared to sober up from his words. Aro studied her as she played with the sleeve of her dress, and tucked a strand of hair behind her ear awkwardly. Her dark eyes glanced back at him shyly, and it looked like she was battling herself on what she was about to say next. He could hear her heart beat faster. “But—are you _proud_ of me?”  
  
  
It was odd, how much that mattered to his sweet little ballerina…it wasn’t the first time in which she clamored for his praise, and he wondered what it was that made her _so_ hungry for validation. Aro imagined that the girl likely didn’t get enough of it in her youth.  
  
  
But if that’s what she wanted, he would give it to her every time.  
  
  
“Yes, Mona,” he reached out slowly and grabbed her hand, placing a kiss on her knuckles. She was holding her breath. “You constantly win my admiration.”  
  
  
Now her heart was beating faster and her mind was calling out to him, wondering what he was going to next, screaming in anticipation. Ramona’s attention kept switching from his lips to his eyes, anxiously waiting for him to _do something_. She **_wanted him.  
  
_**  
Aro hummed, his thumb brushing against her knuckles softly. “I don’t want to scare you off, cara mia,” he said gently. He looked back up at her, and she was staring at him with an odd expression on her face. _He had her_. “I _can’t_ —”  
  
  
“What happened to the man that barged into my bathroom and took me against the wall?” the girl asked sharply. She looked at him expectantly, and he felt himself harden instantly, his entire being burning with desire.  
  
  
 _Oh Mona, how that man missed you too_ —he advanced cautiously.   
  


* * *

  
The first Act of the ballet had gone quicker than Ramona had remembered it used to go, although she had always enjoyed the second half of The Nutcracker more than the first. She was excited to see her new ballet company in action, and couldn’t wait to work with all of the amazing dancers she got to witness first hand. Aro, despite everything that she could say negatively about him, despite his arrogant, annoyance nature…he had truly done something sweet and special for her tonight.  
  


The crowd began to clap as the last winter scene ended, the curtains closing on the stage, signalling intermission. She got up from her seat to clap as well, and watch all of the people below quickly leave their seats in a race to get to the bathroom or the bar. She couldn’t help but smile…nothing made her happier than being at a performance.  
  
  
“That was so good. Do you like it so far?” she asked Aro, who was still sitting and watching her with a _look_ on his face. She blushed.  
  
  
“I do, cara mia. It is a wonderful performance.”

  
“And I’m going to be _dancing_ with them soon!” Just the thought of it was so exciting.  
  
  
“I am very happy for you, carina.”  
  


But _was_ he? Demetri made it seem that Aro would have preferred if she had done nothing all day. But Aro…he had always seemed supportive of her dancing, despite everything. He had even acquiesced to her going out and joining a ballet company here in Florence, and she knew that even though it was something that _shouldn’t_ have been an issue, for Aro…it was a great signal of trust. The Volturi didn’t allow humans to live and know about vampires, but Aro was letting her. He was letting her wander around the city with this knowledge. She knew he was making an _exception_ for her.  
  
  
Aro had told her in the past that he was proud of her, when she had gotten the understudy in Swan Lake and after her first performance as lead…but Aro was a master manipulator, and she knew that he didn’t do anything without a _slightly selfish_ reason behind it. Even tonight, Ramona was well aware he was doing this to get on her good side. And yet…she still appreciated it.   
  


She could feel her heart beat as she asked her next question. “But—are you _proud_ of me?” Ramona felt slightly silly asking it, as if she was a small child who needed his approval, she was _better than that._ But…it _did matter_ , for some reason. She didn’t want to just be some female he was attracted to because she was pretty. She wanted him to be attracted to her because of what she _did_ …of who she was, of what she _wanted_ to be.  
  
  
She held her breath as she felt him grab her hand and kiss her, his cool lips sending shivers down her spine. “Yes, Mona.”— _when had him saying that name start sounding_ ** _right_** _, anyway?_ —“You constantly win my admiration.”  
  


That was **_it_**. Ramona was tired of waiting for him. All week she had waited for him to make a move on her, but he had stopped himself at every opportunity. Even when she thought she was giving enough of a hint that she wanted him to kiss her…but he gave her _nothing_. And **_fuck_** _, she_ still had desires and needs too. Him being a little bit more of a dick didn’t erase _everything_. He was still handsome and _hot as fuck_ , especially _tonight_ …she wanted to rip that bow tie off of him with her teeth and feel her body press up against his—  
  
  
“I don’t want to scare you off, cara mia,” Aro murmured. _You won’t_ , she told him in her mind, willed him to understand. He didn’t move a muscle. “I _can’t_ —”  
  
  
“What happened to the man that barged into my bathroom and took me against the wall?” she finally snapped. It was strange to think that had only been a few weeks ago, when he was _fucking_ her like she was _everything_ to him. When their mutual moans of delight echoed deliciously in her small apartment, likely keeping the neighbors up with their carnal pleasures. They had been thoughtless but that was what had made it _exciting_ —  
  
  
“Turn around.” his voice commanded lowly. She closed her eyes, and turned around, facing the crowd, not being able to focus on anything but his body slowly moving behind her. She felt every inch of him, every crevice as he pressed his body against hers, his hands finding her hips. She felt his hardness against her backside and she felt her breath get caught.  
  
  
“Are your eyes closed?” his voice was like silk, and she felt the cool breath right against her neck. She was exposed for him, her hair up for once and leaving her neck bare and inviting for the vampire. She wondered if it was enticing for him in several ways…she wondered what the enticement would _feel_ like for him.  
  
  
“Y-yes,” she told him the truth, not that she _needed_ to, but because it _felt good_ to do so.  
  


“I will need you to open your eyes, Mona.” he pressed his lips against her neck.  
  
  
She did, she opened her eyes to look around the dim theatre, to look down at the crowd in front of her, the thousands of humans underneath them going about their business. Not noticing the girl and the vampire above them, studying them. Ramona gasped as she felt him press his erection harder against her, making it more and more difficult for her to ignore. She licked her lips in anticipation, knowing that he was intending on making this interaction _a lot_ steamier than she originally imagined he would. But… _in front of all of these people?_   
  
  
“Tell me…tell me how many people you can see,” Aro murmured in her skin. His hands then left her hips and slowly inched down, gliding across the silky, smooth velvet fabric into the open slit of her dress. Her eyelashes fluttered as she willed her brain to work.  
  
  
“Ho-how many people?” she whispered. She looked down at the crowd. There were _hundreds. Possibly thousands_ , if the opera house was packed, which it certainly appeared to be. And they were all in front of them…out in the _open._  
  
  
“Count them for me,” he instructed her. “One by one.”  
  
  
His fingers danced across her warm, bare thigh, towards the blazing, wet heat that was currently dampening the silk panties she had on. He sighed in approval, and he slowly rubbed circles into her wet panties, putting _just enough pressure_ on to cause her to moan in delight. She could feel the pull of his lips as he smiled wickedly against her.  
  
  
“Go on, carina,” and she gasps as he slowly dips his fingers underneath the hem of her panties, touching her bare pussy. Aro pushed against her wet core, and pulled back slowly, and she could feel her slick stick to his fingers as he experimentally moved his fingers back and forth.  
  
  
Aro sinks two of his fingers deep inside her wet cunt, burying deep inside her and she arches up in presentation.  
  
  
Ramona looks down at all of the people below her, people talking to each other animatedly about the show, about their social lives, without a care in the world…unknowing to the pair above them, the girl who was leaning against the balcony with her companion’s fingers up her pussy. It was just _so dirty.  
  
_ _  
_She swallowed and tried to focus, “ _O-one_ ,” she counted, as she began on the left side of the orchestra section. Her eyes were fluttering and she was trying to ignore the way he so expertly manipulated her body. Aro hummed in approval, encouraging her to go on. “ _Two….three…four…”  
  
_ _  
_His fingers curled inside of her and she mewled loudly, and suddenly she felt so _very nervous_ that _someone_ would hear her and look up. But nobody did; it was as if they were in a world of their own up above them all. But still, the thought that they _could_ —  
  


“F-f- _five,_ ” she gasped, beginning to struggle to find the words, to remember numbers…“ _s-s-six…”  
  
_ _  
_“Mona, you need to count faster or you’ll take _all night_ ,” Aro purred.  
  
  
But _how could she…_ how could Ramona focus on counting, when he was steadily pulling his fingers out and pushing them back inside her, over and over again. Every fiber of her being was trying to focus on not moaning loudly in the theatre, she could barely focus on _counting._ Still, she tried her best—she counted all the way up to twenty four when his fingers _finally_ found her secret pocket of pleasure and she cried, tightening her grip on the railing as if it was the only thing holding her in place. As if she let go, she would suddenly _melt_ underneath him.  
  
  
“You are struggling, Mona,” he comments lightly, as if talking about _anything_ other than the fact that she was trying to count people while he _finger fucked_ her brains out. She tried counting again but struggled on number thirty six, as the white hot pressure beginning to build up blinded her for a mere moment. Aro tsked. “There are more than _that_.”  
  
  
“I—I can’t _focus_ ,” she whimpered. 

  
“Why can’t you focus?” he asked, his tone audaciously serious.  
  
  
“B-b- _because,”_ she was certain that her entire face was red now, if it wasn’t before.  
  
  
“Because _why,_ Ramona,” Aro chided her, and he pressed _deeper_ and _harder_ against her inner wall and she mewled against him. “Use your words.”  
  
  
He was _destroying_ her, she realized, as she leaned against the balcony and let him take his pleasure in her. Take his pleasure physically and _mentally_ , as he tore through _each and every wall_ she built up. But **_fuck_** , she didn’t _care anymore_. Nothing mattered at the moment except her and Aro, and the feeling of his fingers locked deep inside her.  
  
  
“I’m—I’m too turned on to count,” she managed, saying those embarrassing words that she knew he wanted to hear. A low groan rumbled deep in his chest.  
  
  
“Good,” he grumbled, “Tell me how good I’m making you feel right now.”  
  
  
She answered him with another moan, _too loud this time_ , as she noticed a few heads turning up their way to search for the cause of the noise. She dipped her head in embarrassment, not wanting to look at anyone, not wanting to see if anyone was watching them from down below. “I f-feel _good_.” she whispered.  
  
  
There was a delay in his rhythm as his fingers left her wet heat and she wanted to cry out again at the loss, but his fingers came back seconds later—only his fingers and base of his knuckles felt just a bit slicker than before. And she realizes that he pulled his fingers out and slipped them into his mouth before returning them back to her dripping hot cunt. Ramona absentmindedly wondered how she tasted for him.  
  
  
“Like _this_ , carina,” and he slowly tilted her head back, their eyes meeting for the first time since this began and he pressed his lips against hers. His tongue delved deep into her mouth and she tasted herself, the sweet, salty, musky taste of her own slick. “Look at you,” he groaned quietly against her lips, “You’re perfect, do you know that? You’re _perfect_ and you’re **_mine_** , cara mia.”  
  
  
Ramona didn’t argue. How _could she_? In this moment, he was right…she was his, every single inch of her body was his and she wanted it that way.  
  
  
 ** _Fuck_** , it felt so right—  
  
  
“D-do you want me to keep-keep counting?” she managed to gasp, trying not to focus on the fact that the pressure was slowly building into a crescendo and she knew she would be done soon.  
  
  
“No, cara mia, it’s not necessary _,”_ he whispered, and he pounded his fingers in and out of her quicker than before, truly reaching something deep inside her. “I _know_ how many people are in here, Mona, and it’s _a lot. A lot_ of people are in here. _A lot_ of people are in here while I finger fuck your little pussy against this railing. _A lot_ of people could turn their heads up and see me as I _have my way with you_.”  
  
  
And that was _it,_ that was the push she needed to ride over that edge, pleasure ripping through her entire body as she rode her orgasm’s wave through each fluid movement of his fingers. She could feel herself tremble and he immediately held her tightly, whispering encouraging words in her ear as she came hard for him. She was so lost in her own pleasure that she didn’t notice that the ballet was about to begin again, the lights starting to dim and the orchestra starting to strum their music. Aro slowly guided her back until he was sitting in his seat, with her on top of him, his hand still down her dress and he leaned her body back against him. She shifted until she was comfortable.  
  
  
He gave her a small kiss to the cheek. “Can we stay like this for the rest of the performance?”  
  
  
His voice no longer held the same power it held only moments before. It was softer, gentler; he was requesting this from her, not demanding. Ramona felt herself relax against his chest and nodded slowly. She let herself be lulled into relaxation against the vampire’s hard chest, as she watched the dancers twirl and spin their way across the stage, tiny figures in a world that seemed so far away from where her and Aro sat in comfortable bliss.  
  
  


* * *

  
Ramona wasn’t sure how the rest of the night happened the way that it happened; maybe it was leftover sexual tension between the two of them, the strong pull they felt towards one another, the undeniable and inescapable attraction and desire she still had for him—  
  
  
It was dark out, almost midnight, when they arrived back to the condo, still tangled up in each other’s bodies after their makeout session in the back of the taxi that Aro hailed for them. They didn’t care if the driver saw, nothing mattered; Aro’s tongue was in her mouth and it was longing and searching and _needy_. He fumbled with the keys to the front door, trying to open the door while also guiding Ramona backwards into the house as she didn’t stop kissing him for a moment, her arms hanging around his neck.  
  
  
They were a mess. And they barely made it up the stairs into the bedroom, before they started taking off their clothes in a hurry to feel each other’s bare skin against their own. Their shoes were knocked off the side of the front door, his suit jacket left on the stairs, the bowtie on the bedroom floor. Ramona felt the lovely, beautiful dress be practically _ripped_ off her body, and then her bra, and her panties which were already _ruined_ were tossed to the side of the room without a care. Aro climbed on top of her, straddling her waist as she helped him remove his button up shirt, revealing a plain white undershirt and black suspenders underneath. She tugged on the suspenders playfully.  
  
  
And the rest were **_stars_**. Shining, blinding, all-encompassing _stars_ , as he entered her body for the first time in what seemed like _forever_ , although it had only been a few mere weeks since they last had each other. Her clit was still sensitive from only hours beforehand and her pussy was still wet and he was able to slide in _so easily_ , and she basked in the feeling of every single inch of him inside of her. They moved in tandem, his strong thrusts meeting her hips which were arching and bucking up, desperate to get fucked. At one point Ramona’s hands found his ass and pushed him towards her, encouraging him to pound deeper inside her. He acquiesced to every desperate whine she mewled out from below him.   
  


They became lost in each other once again, riding a wave of pleasure _over and over and over again_ until Ramona became too exhausted and fell asleep. It was a very long night.

* * *

**Italian Translations:**

**_Sapevo che saresti stato magnifico - "I knew you would look magnificent"._ **

* * *

**Well**

**So this happened.**

**Um....yep, so....SUBSCRIBE!  
  
Wait this isn't Youtube-**


	20. Happiness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good Morning Everyone!
> 
> Got the next chapter out today already! I would've waited a bit longer but I'm working a double tomorrow and I didn't want to make you wait until Friday. This is another chapter that is a bit less plot driven, but the plot will really kick up again in the next chapter, and I'm so excited for it. I hope you all enjoy this! <3 <3 <3

* * *

“ _Mona_ ,” his voice echoed as she slowly awoke from her deep slumber, and she felt a soft kiss to her forehead and fingers brush the curls away from her face. She sighed happily, curling up tighter and basking in the warmth of the blanket. “You have to wake up, carina, you are going into work today.”  
  
  
Her sleep-addled brian managed to process that information however, and Ramona’s eyes shot open, instantaneously awakened. She shot up in bed and looked over to her right, to see a very relaxed and _very naked_ Aro lying in bed beside her. The events from last night flooded back into her mind and she blushed, remembering how the night ended with her and Aro having sex _multiple times_ until she was too exhausted to function.  
  
  
Ramona couldn’t think about _that_ wormhole of possible mistakes right now though. “What time is it?” she asked Aro as she got out of bed, running to the closet where she kept her clothes and looking for something to wear. “I _completely_ forgot about going in this morning, I’m going to be late!”  
  
  
Aro lazily watched her from the bed. “You will not be late, cara mia, it’s only 6AM, you have plenty of time to get ready.” he said, “You needed to go in at 9AM, right?”  
  
  
She breathed a sigh of relief, realizing she had a few hours before she had to go in. She ran a hand through her messy curls and then looked at Aro awkwardly. Ramona was unsure what to say to him. What to say after their night of wild, reckless passionate fucking.  
  
  
“Well—” she fidgeted. _She never fidgeted._ This was just great. “I’m gonna take a shower.” She turned to go to the ensuite, opened the door, and looked back at the man who was staring at her curiously from her bed. Ramona took a deep breath and went inside. She left the bathroom door open.  
  
  
Ramona was in the middle of washing her hair when she felt larger hands encase her own, helping scrub shampoo into her wild curls. She sighed as his hands massaged her scalp gently, leaning her head back into his touch.  
  
  
“Thank you for waking me up,” she said, looking back at Aro. His brilliant red eyes were staring at her with that familiar look of adoration she’d seen so long ago. She realized in that moment how much she _missed_ this—and how much she wanted it to continue. She smirked. “Although I don’t think it was for _completely_ unselfish reasons”  
  
  
The vampire chuckled, “Indeed, it was not.” His massaging traveled down from her hair towards other parts of her body. Ramona exhaled deeply as his thumb ran down her breast and he pinched one of her nipples. Hot water poured over their bodies and she could feel every single part of him, including the hardening erection that was stabbing against the inside of her thigh.  
  
  
“Nuh uh, _I don’t think so_ —” she started, but she felt herself moan as he pinched her nipple harder in response. She sighed, “We will be using condoms from now on,” she said sternly. Surprisingly, he didn’t argue— _and if Ramona was in any right state of mind, she would have been more suspicious of his sudden nonchalance about the issue_. But she wasn’t, and she didn’t think about it, and felt pleased that he didn’t fight about it.  
  


So Ramona turned around so that she was facing him and lowered herself in front of him, enjoying the feeling of the hot water hitting the back of her head. Aro smirked down at her and smoothed the hair away from her face.  
  
  
“Well, this is a bit different than what I was hoping for, but it will do for now, I suppose,” he chuckled.  
  
  
She rolled her eyes as her tongue travelled down the length of his cock.  
  
  
“Oh, you _poor thing._ ” she teased, and she took him in her mouth.  
  
  
It was one of the longest showers she had ever taken.  
  


* * *

  
  
Ramona’s first day at La Toscana Ballet Company went really well; a lot of the girls were very friendly and when she told them that her boyfriend had taken her to see them perform, they were all excited to know what she thought and appreciated that she was supporting their company. It was a little bit of a struggle as she didn’t speak much Italian, and some girls didn’t bother with her knowing that, but there were a number of other dancers who could speak English and were willing to chat with her. Even the maestro Luca was a familiar face that she was happy to see, and Signora Ionetti was able to get her settled in pretty well. While she was unable to practice for the final two performances with the rest of the production, she took part in the morning yoga session, met with the physical therapist, met the principal choreographer, and filled out the rest of the paperwork needed.  
  
  
When she left the company, she walked outside to find Demetri hanging outside the building, waiting for her patiently. Her heart sank a little—Aro had walked her to the building this morning, and she had hoped _he_ would be there when she finished. _That_ , or that he would have trusted her enough to go back on her own if he was busy.   
  


_Seems that Aro thinks I still needed a babysitter_ , she thought bitterly.  
  
  
Demetri smirked at Ramona as she tried to ignore him and walked right past him. She rolled her eyes as he easily caught right up, flaunting his supernatural speed. “So, someone had a _good_ night last night—” he teased, goading her. She glared at the vampire.  
  
  
“What do _you know,_ anyway?” she huffed. She stopped in her tracks and jabbed her finger hard in his chest. He raised his hands jokingly in defeat. “Did Aro _tell_ you something?”  
  
  
“He didn’t _have to_ ,” Demetri said, practically skipping next to her. She realized how much she hated this vampire who thought her life was _so funny._ Ramona made herself a reminder to ask Aro for a new babysitter. “Last night he didn’t ask me to come and watch over the condo at _all_ …meaning he stayed the night. _Plus_ when I relieved him this morning when you went in the building, Aro looked a lot more _relaxed_ than he has as of lately.”  
  
  
She scowled, and tried to walk faster as if that would lose the vampire. It didn’t.  
  
  
“We aren’t friends anymore.” she muttered.  
  
  
Demetri laughed.  
  
  
Ramona would constantly remind herself that her reality, however normal it seemed at the moment, was _anything_ but normal. That she wasn’t just living some dream in which she lived in Italy with a supermodel boyfriend and danced in some great new company. But that she was _kidnapped_ , _taken_ from New York, from her job and her family, by the will of her _very_ ** _arrogant_** , _dangerous_ vampire. She willed her mind to remember that. To not forget.  
  
  
Aro was making it difficult not to though. And there was _something_ about him, about _them,_ about being together again, that felt **_so damn right_** that not even her good senses and rational mind could fight against it. She didn’t want to anymore. Ramona was done fighting.  
  
  
On Tuesday morning, he came by to wake her up again before work and even had steaming hot coffee waiting for her. He walked with her to the ballet studio, gave her a kiss and wished her good luck. Then she left the studio that late evening, and Demetri was there to greet her. But since it was only a few nights before Christmas, Ramona had no interest in going straight back to the condo that night.  
  
  
“A Christmas tree?” Demetri asked skeptically, as they wandered the streets of Florence before the sun started to set. Ramona nodded enthusiastically. Demetri snorted. “You really want to stick a dead tree in your condo? For what? You’re not a child, you don’t believe in Father Christmas still, do you?” he teased. The girl rolled her eyes.  
  
  
“It’s not about that,” she argued, “It’s just—I don’t know, maybe it’s stupid, but…it would remind me of home. I’m not going to be in New York for Christmas, or Forks, or…well, wherever my mom is, so I thought I could at least try to be happy here.” She shrugged. “Hell, I’d be happy with even a fake one at this point.”  
  
  
Demetri was quiet for a long moment before nodding confidently. “We’ll get you a real one.”  
  
  
And he did. She had the worst whiplash of her entire life as he grabbed her and raced out to some random forest in the middle of Tuscany. Ramona should have been more terrified to witness the awesome power of the vampiric strength in front of her, as the vampire ripped an impossible large spruce tree out of the ground with his bare hands, root and all. She put her hands on her hips in annoyance.  
  
  
“You’re going to have to trim it,” she said plainly.  
  
  
After they argued over the tree for the next thirty minutes, with Ramona ordering the vampire around and telling him what he needed to do, they managed to hail a taxi driver willing to let Demetri tie up the tree to the roof of the car and made their way back to the condo.  
  
  
She let her companion take care of the tree, taking it off of the cab by himself— _much to the utter amazement of the driver_ —bringing it into the house and setting it up in the tree stand they had purchased beforehand. She grinned up at the tree before frowning.  
  
  
“Fuck, we need decorations,” she realized, looking at the plain tree. Demetri sighed in exasperation. But he brought her like she asked, and without much complaint.  
  
  
Ramona briefly wondered if it was because she was with Aro. _Because she was Aro’s_ ** _girl_**. He was practically a king in the Volturi, right? So what did that make her?  
  
  
 _His concubine_ , her mind mocked, and she scowled at the vicious thought.  
  
  
Whatever she was, to _Aro_ , to his… _coven_ …it didn’t warrant thinking about.

  
She idly wondered if he had a throne. Kings have thrones right?  
  
  
Ramona brushed off the nonsensical thoughts aside and looked at the pile of bulbs, ornaments, tinsel, and strings of multicolored lights that they bought at the large department store. The department store had a lot of different items and it was perfect for Ramona as she bought all of the decorations, as well as another _special item_ that she saw and decided to buy on a whim. She stuffed that particular item in the back of her closet when they returned home.  
  


She was in the middle of yelling at Demetri as he poorly hung up the lights when she heard the front door opening up behind them.  
  
  
 _Guess we aren’t knocking anymore_ , she thought, as Aro strolled in the house, back to his usual carefree, arrogant demeanor.  
  
  
He walked right up to Ramona and pulled her in for a long kiss, his hand cradling the back of her head. She sighed against his lips. _Guess we aren’t caring about remaining discrete anymore either_ , she thought. She felt him smirk and he wrapped his arms around her, before turning to the other vampire in the room.  
  
  
“ ** _Demetri_**.” his voice sounded _so different_ addressing someone else. Any of the softness or affection that he showed her in his voice when he spoke to her was gone. Replaced with a voice that commanded, no, **_demanded_** respect. It was low and deep and _threatening_ , and it sent shivers down her spine. She watched as Demetri’s fun loving demeanor instantly changed, and he became serious. He bowed his head towards Aro, who seemed pleased. “Thank you for bringing my sweet ballerina back home,” his eyes glanced to the tree, “and for helping her pick out this…spruce. You may leave us now, Demetri. I will not be needing you for several days so you may return to the castle.”  
  
  
Demetri appeared confused. “But, master—?”  
  
  
“Goodbye Demetri,” Aro cut him off sharply, signaling the end of the conversation. The unsaid warning of any argument hung in the air and Demetri uttered a “yes master” before bowing and leaving. Ramona watched the other vampire leave, feeling a bit bad about the way he was treated.  
  
  
“He’s _fine_ ,” Aro scoffed, reading her thoughts. He turned her around so that she was facing him, and she wrapped her arms around his neck. “He knows his place.”  
  
  
Ramona hummed. “What is this about not needing him for the next several days?” she asked, absentmindedly running her fingers through his soft black hair. “Am I getting a new babysitter?”  
  
  
“ _I_ will be with you for the next several days,” Aro murmured, beginning to pepper her neck with kisses. She grinned and craned her neck to give him better access, and giggled as his lips began to tickle her. And she realized this was the best news she had heard in days, and that she was happy.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Good things just happened to work out in Aro’s favor. If it wasn’t for the fact that he knew his special ability was tactile telepathy, he would have thought his power was probability manipulation. In so many ways, Aro found himself in luck's favor; he was lucky to have become the leader of the world’s strongest coven of vampires…lucky to have magnificent powers, lucky to have found his dear Jane, and Alec, and Demetri, and Renata…all of his wonderful, gifted specimens that he had collected over the years.  
  
  
Most recently, Aro found himself on luck’s side as Caius had informed him that he was taking Athenodora back to Greece for the holiday. And that they were agreeable— _well, Dora was agreeable, Caius was never agreeable_ —to take Sulpicia with them as well. It had been a long time since she had been to Greece and it would be a welcome change of scenery for the two wives. And since the two kings were loath to leave Volterra alone in Marcus’ hands, it was agreed that Aro would stay at the castle.  
  
  
Well…Aro figured that Florence was _close enough_ to the castle.  
  
  
And his guards wouldn’t say anything…if they were smart. Marcus was already well aware of Ramona’s existence and he didn’t have to worry about him saying anything. So Aro figured he could spend the next few days with Ramona, enjoying the holiday with her, knowing that she would be missing her family and would be needing some extra attention.  
  
  
When he arrived at the condo, he was amused to hear his little human bark orders at the guard, her bossy voice carrying all the way to the outside. _Better him than I_ , he smirked, before letting himself in and finding the two of them arguing over a Christmas tree.  
  
  
Ramona turned immediately and he watched as her expression changed and, perhaps unbeknownst to her, her smile lit up the whole room. He couldn’t help but grab her and _claim her_ mouth as his, claim **_her_** as **_his_** , right in front of the other vampire in the room. Something about seeing her and him interact so familiarly awakened something possessive in him, and screamed at him to assert his dominance over the lesser male. He felt Ramona’s heart skip against him, her body shivering and he smiled in smug satisfaction.  
  
  
Demetri left— _after almost daring to question him on_ ** _anything_** —and he was left alone with Ramona. Well, her and the damn tree. After they both shared their unsaid, secret happiness at having the next few days to spend together, his pretty little human went back into demand mode. It was…endearing.  
  
  
“Well since you pushed away the help, you can put the lights on for me,” she demanded, as she began to sort through the odd collection of bulbs and ornaments. “And don’t forget to put the star on top,” she said, handing him the large, decorative star light fixture.  
  
  
Aro looked at it curiously. “No angel?”  
  
  
Ramona hummed thoughtfully. “Well, I thought about it, but I didn’t want it to get you burned,” she joked, beginning to giggle, “you know, being _damned_ and all.”  
  
  
He spanked her right on the ass for that. She squealed.

  
It was the first time in hundreds of years that he had helped put up a Christmas tree. And he didn’t completely hate it…because it made _her_ happy.  
  
  
Afterwards, Aro laid on the living room couch with Ramona lying on him, her head against his chest and turned towards the tree. He could tell she was content; just looking at the tree absentmindedly, at the colorful, bright lights and the different colored and odd shaped, glittering bulbs. Her breathing was steady, her heart pumping at a normal, calm rate—it was strange that something as simple and silly as a tree could endear his human so much to him. But he was glad that it did, and welcomed the change.  
  
  
“You are happy,” Aro said softly, running his fingers through her curls. She snuggled closer to his body but didn’t say anything. She didn’t _need_ to, they _both knew._  
  
  
“I’m glad,” he continued, and he pulled her up closer until she was facing him. His red eyes searched her own dark eyes. “I _never_ wanted you to be unhappy. I didn’t mean to hurt you—”  
  
  
“You were only thinking about yourself before,” her voice was quiet, one that was way lower than any normal human could hear, but he heard it. It was strong. “You weren’t thinking of me.”  
  
  
“I am now,” he leaned forward and captured her lips. She relented easily. “I am thinking of you _constantly_.” he squeezed her hips, bucking up against her. It didn’t take long for them to start engaging in a serious makeout session, and Aro could feel himself hardening against her leg. She moaned and rubbed herself against his thigh.  
  
  
“We—we need to get a condom,” she managed to utter in his ear. Her eyes were fluttering and she was struggling to remain focused, “Check—check in my backpack, I bought some in Forks before you brought me here.”  
  
  
Aro stopped. He frowned as he thought back to the night of the ballet performance when he knocked her out and brought her on the jet. He had _thrown out_ the condoms that he had found in the backpack. Because they wouldn’t be _needing_ them, after all.  
  
  
But Ramona was looking at him expectantly, her expression unwavering. _She’s not going to let this go_ , Aro thought annoyed. Ramona easily caught on to Aro’s internal war and scowled. “ ** _Aro_** —”  
  
  
“ _We can just_ —” he tried to persuade her, and she glared. He knocked his head back and rolled his eyes to the ceiling, before cursing out loud and pushing her off of him. He got up and adjusted himself, and threw back on his jacket. The girl gaped at the vampire. “Where are you _going?_ ”   
  


He was going to get her condoms.   
  


Because Aro didn’t even know if they even made a _fucking difference_.  
  
  
Not that he was going to _tell_ her that. And then she was going to _shut up_ about it so that they could go right back to what they were doing before.  
  
  
“I’ll be _right back_ ,” he growled, storming towards the door. Aro made sure to glare at the girl. “Don’t you dare go _anywhere_. I want you laying there on the couch with your legs spread open for me when I come back.”  
  
  
Ramona blinked. She was alone.   
  


* * *

Ramona was left blinking in shock as she watched Aro storm out of the condo, leaving her alone and without vampiric supervision for the first time since coming to Italy. She stared at the door, not quite believing that it had happened, and expecting him to realize what he had done and come back through the door immediately. But 30 seconds passed, then a minute, then two minutes and…Aro still hadn’t returned.  
  
  
“ _I want you laying there on the couch with your legs spread open for me when I come back.”_ —well, that was clear enough that he intended to return. She felt warmth pool down and she blushed at the image he conjured up.  
  
  
But—this was her chance. As the minutes went by and he didn’t come back, Ramona’s brain was screaming at her to go away, to _leave and run._ That she would _never_ have another opportunity like this, that she would be under Aro’s or Demetri’s or some other random vampire’s constant watch until god _knows when._ She should take the opportunity to leave, while Aro is away, hail a taxi, or take the train, find the airport, and hop on the first flight out of Italy, back to America, back to—  
  
  
To _where?_ To New York? She didn’t even know if she had her apartment anymore, not having been there in _weeks_ , and she certainly didn’t have her job anymore, Derrick had made _that much_ clear. Forks? To go back to living with Charlie? To tuck her tail in between her legs and go back to the Cullen family, to Bella, and crawl under their protection from her big bad vampire boyfriend? _How embarrassing_ —  
  
  
But things _were changing_ —Aro was becoming less controlling, less demanding. She got a new job, they were going out on dates, he was spending Christmas with her…  
  


“ _I never wanted you to be unhappy. I didn’t mean to hurt you_ —” He sounded sincere enough, and Ramona knew that was the closest she was probably ever going to get to an actual apology from the man.  
  
  
She walked up and placed her hand on the doorknob, the only barrier between her and the outside world, _freedom._ She took a deep breath and her hand was shaking as a war waged against itself in her mind. Her heart thumped wildly and she struggled between leaving and going back to the world she came from and the one she was in now. Her past world, where she did nothing but work, saw her parents and family only a few times a year, where she was lonely and went out with stupid guys and made stupid mistakes…or the world she was in now, the one with vampires, and rules, and _Aro…  
  
_ _  
_A tear ran down her cheek as she made her decision.  
  


* * *

  
The teenage cashier at the corner pharmacy had never seen anyone rush in the store as quickly as the dark haired, pale businessman in a suit and sunglasses did that night. He watched in wonder as the man grabbed nothing but a box of condoms and trudged over to the counter. The teenager smirked at the man’s choices.

  
“Preparing for a fun night, huh?” he joked, “Got a girl waiting back home for you?” The man did not seem as amused. He threw down one of those legendary black diamond credit cards on the counter—the kind that only millionaires and billionaires owned—and the boy could feel the man’s angry glare from underneath the glasses. The teen gulped and rang it up, throwing it in a plastic bag. The man snatched the bag, grabbed the small box inside of it and stuffed it in his pocket, and then threw the plastic bag right back on the counter. He stalked right out the store, not saying a word.

  
The man would come back later that night as the boy was walking back home and attack him, sinking his teeth into the poor boy’s neck. The man didn’t like being anyone else’s joke.  
  


* * *

The door opened slowly and Aro’s gaze settled on her body, which was precisely the way he had asked; lying there on the couch with her legs spread open just for him. Her shorts were pulled down to her ankles. She stared unwaveringly up at him through the darkness.  
  
  
She didn’t even get a single word out before in the blink of an eye, Aro was upon her, grabbing her hips and abruptly yanking her ass off of the couch. Both of her legs were tossed over his shoulder and as he reached into his pocket and took out a small foiled square, Ramona felt herself sigh in relief. _He_ ** _did_** _go out and buy them_ —feeling all of her inhibitions and every single reservation she had against him disappear.   
  


_This was the right choice_ —she thought to herself.  
  


She arched her hips up further in presentation and touched her own pussy, enjoying its hot slickness. She looked him right in the eyes; she wanted to show him how much she wanted him.  
  
  
“ _There’s my girl_ ,” he purred, and he ripped the condom packet open and prepared himself. And then **_holy fuck_** —she shouted loudly as he sheathed himself inside her slick warmth to the hilt, slamming her small body into the couch. Her clit was already ached to be touched and she dipped her fingers into her mouth and brought them to the throbbing little nub, rubbing desperately as she chased her own pleasure. Aro’s attention never wavered from that spot and he _growled_ , a low, reverberating sound deep in his chest. The animalistic sound washed over her and she moaned.  
  
  
 _“Fuck Aro_ —I, **_ngk_** ,” she could hardly focus, feeling his pounding rhythm go through her entire body, traveling from her core, up her stomach, to her chest…every inch of her lit on fire with every thrust. “Aro, I—I _missed_ you,” she managed, “ _I missed_ ** _this._** ”  
  
  
He made a choking sound and drilled into her harder in response, apparently too delirious in lust himself to say anything. His body was unyielding as he pummeled himself into her until he reached that one blinding, heavenly spot, hitting at the apex of her cervix.  
  
  
“Y-you _stayed_ ,” his voice was hoarse, and she moaned in response. “ _T_ _esoro,_ you stayed—”  
  
  
“I _did_ ,” she gasped, her voice coming out in a desperate breath. “D-don’t make me regret it,” she managed to tease. Aro gave her a playful smirk, his mouth twisting in a lazy grin and he nodded, before finally tearing his gaze away from her fingers and he brought his mouth to the leg next to his face and kissed _hard,_ his lips sucking into her skin.  
  
  
Everything below her waist locked down tighter against him and she exploded underneath him, hot and wet and she _cried_ out in relief. She spasmed underneath him, bearing down on his cock. He snarled, his hips snapping up against hers and riding her until she felt his own body shuddering against her, as he rode his own wave of pleasure.  
  
  
Ramona let him pick her up and bring her to the bedroom, leaning her head against his cool sculpted chest. She had made her decision, and there was no going back now.   
  


* * *

**That's it folks. That's the end. They're happy and it's all over and that's how I'm gonna end this fanfic.**

**LOL**

**As if- there is a lot more that they're gonna have to deal with.**

**Aro's still being a bad, bad fuck boi, the evil deviant...not as innocent as he seems. He's playing off the nice guy card-**

**Next chapter features Volterra :) And a brand new character!!!**


	21. Snippets of Christmas

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> MERRY CHRISTMAS!
> 
> ...wait, it's June. Well Happy Christmas in June! Because apparently that's what this story is doing lmfao
> 
> I hope you enjoy this chapter! I read the comment section and I know some readers were concerned about Ramona's Christmas being ruined and her and Aro not getting along during the holiday because what had happened between them, so I'm putting this in the story and now you will know how her Christmas went! This chapter fulfills a few things that you all were wondering and hoping for, so I'm excited to share it.
> 
> Anyways, hopefully this is the start of a good week. It's really beautiful out where I live, so I'm posting this and then going for a walk. Hope you all are doing well! Thank you for your continued support!! PDD reached some milestones!!! 400 REVIEWS?!?! 200+ KUDOS?!?! 40+ BOOKMARKS?!? I love you all. Your support has meant everything and it's what is keeping this story going. Thank you for everything.

* * *

  
  
The next morning, Ramona woke up to the sensation of Aro’s fingers tracing lines along her spine. She sighed into the pillow and tried to ignore the tingling feeling. She was exhausted and could use the extra hours of sleep.   
  
  
“Wake up Mona,” he whispered into her hair. She groaned a tired sound in response and tried to shrink further into the bed. He chuckled, “You should get up soon, cara mia, I have some place to take you today.”  
  
  
She rubbed the sleep out of her eyes. “Where?” she asked, starting to wake up. “Are we going to Verona?” The two of them had chatted briefly about taking a trip to the northern part of the country. He had mentioned going when he was more free. He shook his head though.  
  
  
“No, not yet,” he answered. He repositioned her on top of him, settling her on his hips. He wiggled his hips slightly, “We are going to get your Christmas present.”  
  
  
“So it _won’t_ be a surprise?” she teased, and stuck her tongue out playfully. Aro shot her a dirty look and went to bite it and she squealed in delight.   
  
  
“This is the kind of gift that I believe you would like to pick for yourself, carina.”  
  
  
She frowned, wondering what would be a gift that she would pick out for herself. In the back of her mind, her first thought jumped to— _he’s going to buy you a ring_ —but she didn’t know how she felt about that. Suddenly she felt nervous, anxiety bubbling up in her stomach. He must have sensed her apprehension because he gave her a kiss, “Let’s get up, Mona, there’s a whole day ahead of you.”  
  
  
Ramona hummed, “ _Shower first_.” Aro eagerly joined her.  
  
  
After they washed— _and_ ** _rewashed_** —they both got dressed in some comfortable, casual clothes. Aro had thrown on the maroon sweater and black slacks that she had bought for him the other day and left in her closet, which he completed with his usual black blazer. Ramona had to admit…he looked _good_. Seeing him _somewhat_ more dressed down made her feel a sense of normalcy with Aro that she hadn’t felt in a _long_ time. And it was comforting.  
  
  
They left the condo to go wherever Aro planned for them to go, and she was once again surprised to see a sleek looking sports car sitting outside the condo. Ramona raised an eyebrow as Aro got to the driver’s side door and climbed in. Hesitant, she opened the passenger seat and joined him.  
  
  
“I didn't think you knew how to drive,” Ramona quipped, as she buckled herself in. “I thought Demetri drove you everywhere.” Aro glared at the girl. She noticed with annoyance that he did not buckle himself. _Vampires_ —  
  
  
“I know _how_ to drive, carina,” Aro argued snidely. He adjusted the mirrors slightly before shifting the stick in drive and pulling out into the street. “I just don’t _need to_. That’s what I have attendants _for_ , Mona.”  
  
  
She hummed, “Ah yes, you sure do love _using_ people.”  
  
  
Aro grinned as he looked at her through the mirror. “Indeed.”  
  
  
It wasn’t a long drive, and Ramona thought that they probably could have walked there— _although she wondered if Aro just wanted to use the excuse to show off that he could drive_ —but they finally reached a small brick building seemingly in the middle of nowhere. It looked rather run down, and the girl looked over at her vampire in curiosity. Aro had never been the type to go anywhere that wasn’t up to his standards. Even during their date in New York, she recalled him scoffing at the idea of grabbing a bite to eat from a local street vendor— _and she’s_ ** _convinced_** _, looking back, that it was definitely more the fact that Aro is an uppity snob than that he didn’t eat actual food._

  
“Is this it?” she questioned, not quite believing it and unsure what the small building even  _ was. _ Certainly wasn’t some ridiculously priced, upscale jewelry store like she was worried he would take her.   
  


“This is it,” he confirmed. He grabbed a pair of sunglasses from the glove box and fixed them on his nose. “Ready cara?”  
  
  
Her expression was deadpan. “Yeah, that’s not suspicious at all.”  
  
  
Aro shrugged, “I didn’t feel like wearing the contacts.”  
  
  
“ _Because it's totally normal to wear sunglasses indoors_ —”  
  
  
“Pretend that I am blind and help walk me around if that makes you feel better.”  
  
  
“Just wear your contacts next time!”  
  
  
“I _detest_ those things.”  
  
  
Their bickering only lasted a few minutes before Aro was too excited to hold back any longer and he practically dragged her into the old looking building. She wasn’t sure what she was expecting…but as the door opened and the unmistakable scent of animals filled her nose, she knew exactly what this was.   
  
  
Ramona shot him a teasing look. “Are you looking to buy another midnight snack?”  
  
  
The vampire scowled. “I thought I was being _thoughtful,_ but if you are going to treat my considerateness as a _joke_ , then—”  
  
  
The girl laughed, “Aro, you enjoy jokes at everyone’s expense but your own.”  
  
  
A kind looking, middle-aged woman approached the two of them from behind the front desk. “Buongiorno, Signore e Signora! Vuoi adottare un cane o un gatto?” she asked them. Aro looked at Ramona expectantly.  
  
  
“I would prefer you to get a cat, Mona,” Aro said.   
  
  
She pretended to think about it. “Oh, then I’ll get the largest dog they have!” she replied in mock excitement. “Do you think that they have Irish Wolfhounds? Ooh, or how about a Great Dane?”  
  
  
Aro stared at her blankly. “You’d be the one cleaning up after the giant mutts.”  
  
  
Ramona pouted, “Oh, are dogs not to your liking? Developed a particular _taste_ for cats, huh?”  
  
  
The man huffed indignantly. “This was a mistake—”  
  
  
“I’m TEASING!” she giggled, and grabbed his arm. She patted him on the arm reassuringly. “Come _on_ , let’s look at the cats.”  
  
  
The woman brought the two of them over to the smaller room in the back, where the cats were kept separate from the dogs. About twenty cats were in the room, all kept in small cages and meowing loudly. Feeling like a child again, she peered excitedly into each cage trying to decide which cat she wanted. Aro looked along disinterestedly. One of the cats hissed at him. Ramona watched in amusement as he hissed back.  
  
  
“So not that one?” she asked, looking at the black and white cat in interest. Aro scowled. “No, not that one.” She hummed, and passed the cat that was in a death glare match with the vampire. She couldn’t believe he was giving a cat the stink eye.  
  
  
Finally, she happened upon George. She gasped in delight as she stuck her finger in the cage and it licked her with its scratchy tongue. “Oh, you’re so handsome!” she cooed, beginning to scratch the cat on the ear. It purred happily. She turned around in excitement and looked for the employee. “Signora! We’d like to take out this cat to look at please!” she announced. The woman looked at the cat she picked, and nodded skeptically.   
  
  
“Did you pick one, carina? Which one did—oh **Mona,** ** _no_** **,** ” Aro’s lip curled in disgust as he looked at the cat she was staring at in adoration. “Of _all of the perfectly fine creatures_ —”  
  
  
“I like him!” Ramona squealed, as the employee placed the cat in her arms. She began to pet him on the head and the cat purred in delight. Aro glared at the creature in her arms as if she picked up a leper. “It looks like it’s diseased,” the vampire muttered.   
  


She ignored Aro’s distasteful glances and rude comment and looked at the woman. “How much for George?” she asked. The woman’s eyebrows shot up.  
  
  
That is how they left the animal shelter with a three year old, one-eyed, matted furred grey scottish fold named George. 

* * *

  
  
Christmas Eve was a relatively uneventful day for the two of them. Aro had taken her on a small trip to a nearby town named Fiesole, and they spent the greater part of the day shopping and exploring the city. As the evening rolled on, Ramona pestered Aro to bring them back to Florence so that they could feed the new cat.  
  


“I am already done with this creature’s existence,” Aro announced, annoyed, as he watched Ramona scoop an unpleasant, revolting looking food substance into the cat’s bowl. George meowed in delight. Ramona ignored the vampire’s poor attitude, cooing at her cat as he ate the food happily.  
  
  
As the night went on and they settled in for the night, it became immediately apparent which owner the cat preferred. George cuddled himself next to Aro’s irritated form all night. It was unclear who was more annoyed by this latest development.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
In the middle of the night, a loud bang reverberated throughout the condo, waking Ramona up from her sleep. Aro frowned, and left the warm bed to check downstairs, where the noise came from. A string of Italian vulgarities followed shortly after.  
  
  
“What is it?!” Ramona called out from the bedroom.  
  


“The _damn cat_ knocked down the **_fucking Christmas tree!_** _”  
  
_ _  
_ A grumpy looking vampire returned to the bedroom with a very smug and very _pleased_ looking cat hauled over his shoulder. He practically threw the cat in Ramona’s arms. She petted the cat though and smiled.  
  
  
“Oh George, now you’ve upset your father.”  
  
  
Apparently that was just the right thing to say though for Aro not to be _too angry.  
  
_  


* * *

Ramona used to say that her ninth Christmas was her favorite. Bella had just been born, and it was her first Christmas, and their parents were still together. Charlie and Renee let her eat chocolate all day long, and they had bought her this beautiful new dance costume and ballet slippers. It was one of her last Christmases that they were a whole family, as Charlie and Renee split up a couple years later.  
  
  
This Christmas she wasn’t with any of her family members, and she expected to have an awful day of missing her family. But when she woke up, she was greeted with a beautiful light flurry of winter snow dancing out the window, a warm cat snuggled on her chest, and Aro lying beside her, looking serene and calm as he silently watched the snow fall as well. His attention immediately shifted when he realized that she had awakened.  
  
  
“Buongiorno, carina,” he murmured, leaning over for a kiss, “and happy Christmas.”  
  
  
“ _Merry_ Christmas,” Ramona corrected, “I’m American.”  
  
  
Aro clicked his tongue. “Ah yes, well, rejoice and be merry then,” he teased. He brushed his fingers through her hair. “You should get up soon, cara mia, we are going out today.”  
  
  
She groaned, “Again?” she didn’t feel like moving at all. “We were out all day yesterday. What about George?” she gestured to the cat on her lap. It rubbed its head on her hand in response.

  
“The cat will be  _ fine _ ,” Aro argued, giving the cat the evil eye. The one eyed cat meowed happily back at his favorite person. “We are not going far anyway. I want to take you to Volterra today.”  
  


Ramona shot up instantly. “Volterra?” she repeated back. “Like…your home? Where all of the other vampires live?” She felt instantly nervous.  
  


Aro did not appear to share her concern. “I would like to show you where I live, cara,’ he brought her closer to his chest, “Do not worry, you will be safe. The guard does what I say, and my brother Caius is in Greece with his wife for the holiday. We will be undisturbed.”  
  
  
She thought about it, and tipped her head up to look him in the eye. “Do you have a throne?” she asked curiously. He grinned and nodded. She sighed, and settled closer against him. “ _Fine._ But we will need to be back in time to feed George dinner.” She gave the cat a scratch behind the ear. Aro continued to eye the cat distastefully.  
  
  
“Perhaps I will eat him after all—”  
  
  
She hit him. The cat gave his favorite person a lick.  
  


* * *

  
The city of Volterra seemed normal, Ramona thought, as she looked out the passenger side window as Aro drove them into the city. Nothing appeared that was out of the ordinary, nothing that screamed— _we actually have this giant coven of bloodthirsty vampires in our mists, beware._ Normal looking humans wandered about, minding their own business.  
  
  
As they went down into the castle, they walked past an empty front desk area— _how benevolent of you, she commented dryly, as Aro announced proudly how he gave his staff the day off_ —and into a long, dark hallway. They passed a few guards, who looked at the human curiously but didn’t say anything, bowing to Aro in respect as he passed. As she looked at all of their expensive clothing, Ramona felt severely underdressed in her sweater and leggings.  
  
  
“You are fine,” Aro assured her, as he grabbed a hold of her hand. “Come, there are a few places that I want to show you.”  
  


As they wandered the beautiful old halls of the castle, they passed by even more guards, all red eyed and beautiful in their own unique ways. Ramona watched as two of them saw her, smirked at each other conspiratorially, bowed to Aro, and went on their way. She frowned at the interaction— _what do they think of me,_ she thought to herself.  
  
  
“They likely are under the impression that I am going to have you for Christmas supper,” he quipped, answering her unsaid question, and she glared at him. She _hated_ when he read her mind. “If anything, you should feel safer, carina, they all know better than to take their master’s food.”  
  
  
_“Strangely enough, it doesn't_ ,” she bit back. They finally reached a giant main hall, with a center stage area where three large thrones sat. She couldn’t help but smile a bit at the ostentatiousness of it all. “The throne room?” she grinned back at him.  
  
  
He nodded. “Mine is the one in the middle.”  
  
  
She rolled her eyes. “Of course it is, _always_ the center of attention—”  
  
  
Aro didn’t even bother to pretend to look sheepish.  
  
  
He brought her to his personal study next—where they took a brief break in the tour to make out on top of his desk—before he brought her to the library. She marvelled at the grand selection of books before her eyes fell towards a dark figure sitting not too far off from them, seemingly engrossed in whatever book he was reading. Aro’s eyes followed hers and he ah’d in response.  
  
  
“ _Marcus,_ ” his melodic voice purred, as he walked towards the dark figure. Ramona followed behind cautiously. “I did not expect to see you here, brother.”  
  
  
The other vampire— _Aro’s brother_ —was older than Aro, at least physically, but had the same beautiful marble skin and haunting red eyes. But his eyes held a sadness in them, some deep sorrow not forgotten. He looked up at the two of them, but instead of a mischievous grin like she had seen from the others who looked upon her, he appeared concerned.  
  
  
“You brought her here,” Marcus said, his eyes immediately going to their linked hands. Ramona shifted awkwardly. “I do not think that was wise, Aro.”  
  
  
Aro scoffed arrogantly. “The guard knows their place.”  
  
  
Ramona fidgeted. “Do…do you know who I am?” she asked the brother. He didn’t seem surprised to see her there, or shocked at the closeness between them. Aro answered for him.  
  
  
“Marcus can see the bonds between people,” he explained, and he raised her hand to give her a light kiss on the knuckles. “You could say that he saw you from a mile away, carina.”  
  
  
“I did not expect Aro to flaunt his _affairs_ so openly in public,” the other vampire’s tone held something secret in it, causing Aro to glare. She looked between the two of them in confusion, not really understanding where the tension came from all of a sudden.  
  


“Yes, well, we must be going,” Aro replied sharply, tightening his grip on Ramona’s hand. She winced a bit in pain but didn’t say anything, not wanting to add to an already tense situation, Marcus raised an eyebrow but said nothing else, returning his attention back to the book in his hands.  
  
  
As they walked away, Ramona couldn’t shake the feeling that something was up. “What was that about?” she asked, wondering what made the brothers so tense. Aro smiled thinly at the girl.  
  
  
“Nothing for you to worry about,” Aro said tightly, and she immediately got the gist that he really did not want to talk about it. She decided to drop it, figuring it was likely some petty squabble between brothers that she didn’t need to involve herself in. “Come, Ramona, there is one final place that I would like to take you before we leave.”  
  
  
He took her hand and led her out towards the back of the castle, going outside to a large courtyard, which was hidden by a vast forest in the back. Ramona could tell that this courtyard held a lovely garden, which was currently dead due to the season and snow drifting down from the sky. There were statues surrounding them, and a fountain in the middle of the large open cleaning. She looked around in curious amazement; it truly was a lovely courtyard, and she was certain that it would be even more beautiful in the spring when the weather was nice and flowers were in bloom.  
  
  
“You have a lovely courtyard,” Ramona commented, and, feeling the urge come about her, she slipped away from Aro and began to twirl a bit around the space. She giggled, feeling a bit dizzy after her third pirouette, “I guess I am out of practice—”  
  
  
“Be careful with the snow, cara,” Aro called out, but he was smiling nonetheless. Her carefree, childish dancing rubbed off on him and he chuckled, watching her with endearment as she continued to spin around the courtyard, snowflakes beginning to stick to her skin and her hair. She flashed him a smile.   
  
  
“Come on, I need to practice!” she laughed, as she gracefully moved across the space. Well, as graceful as she could be without wearing pointe shoes. On her fourth turn, her foot landed awkwardly and slipped against the wet brick, and she could feel herself falling until she was caught by a strong pair of arms. She looked up to see Aro looking at her in disapproval. She fluttered her eyelashes at him. “Thanks for catching me,” she said cheekily.  
  
  
“Mmm, it seems it is _far_ too dangerous to let you out of arm’s reach, cara,” his voice was smooth and she melted against him. She stared up at him, and she could see the small puffs of her cold breath between them.   
  
  
“So you will have to join me,” she flirted, and he raised her body up so that she was facing him. She put an arm on his shoulder. “I’ll show you how to do a pas de deux.”  
  
  
It was awkward and funny and they couldn’t stop laughing at their attempt for a duet, which was mostly just Aro spinning her around, dipping her low, bringing her back up for a kiss—which she cheekily argued was _not_ a proper dance move. But it didn’t matter because they were having fun and Ramona couldn’t think of a more perfect way to spend her holiday.  
  


* * *

Unbeknownst to the vampire and ballerina in the courtyard, a lone figure sat watching the two of them as they danced and giggled below in the snow. Sulpicia leaned against the window, her head in her hand as she peered down at the duo. Her husband was making quite a spectacle of himself and seemed not to give a damn what the rest of his guard thought about his behavior.   
  
  
She had decided not to go to Greece. It was kind for Caius and Dora to bring her along, and she _did_ want to go, as it had been a very long time since she had been to that country but—she didn’t want to leave Volterra. Not when Aro was acting the way that he was, and not when he was suspiciously _so eager_ for her to leave with them.   
  
  
And wasn’t it just _too obvious_ , when her husband suddenly disappeared from Volterra for the past couple of days, and Demetri had suddenly returned from his “tracking of the Romanians”. But here he was, returning back to Volterra with a silly little human girl, as he showed her about the castle. She had unnaturally good hearing, always had for a vampire, and she could hear as he took her into every room, the throne room, the library, his _study_ …she heard the girl’s unashamed loud whines of delight as **_her_** _husband_ kissed and caressed her body. And her husband, who was no less shameless, she had _never_ heard him sound like that before, the suggestions that he breathed in the girl’s ear…  
  
  
Her husband had made play things out of human women before. However, they were simply brief encounters that he used to amuse himself before making a meal out of the girls. When she had first noticed the scent on her husband, she chalked it up to that, but…she noticed the scent a second time. Aro was either terrible at hiding her scent, or he just didn’t care, and Sulpicia didn’t know what was worse.   
  
  
And here was that _same_ scent again, except this time it was coming off of the original source, a pretty, dark haired human that had somehow encaptured her husband’s affections more than she had ever in their hundreds of years of being together. The expression on his face…the adoration, the charming smile he had on his face, his laughter—sure, she had glimpses of his man during their marriage, but not like _this.  
  
_  
He loved that human. She could tell.  
  
  
Aro and her had been drifting apart for _years_. It had been _so long_ since she was actually happy. Aro had gifted her and Athenodora Corin to help them feel content in their situation; after the death of Didyme, Aro and Caius had insisted that they stay in the tower for their own protection, only taking them out on special occasions and holidays. And although she _was_ content, _sometimes_ —sometimes it broke through, and she felt like there should have been **_more_** … _more_ than the life that Aro was providing to her.  
  
  
But—she had been with Aro for _so long_. This was _her life_ , _she was_ one of the Queens of the Volturi, should she _really back_ down and let some random human girl walk all over her husband, her coven…her life? It was all that she had known…  
  
  
“Aro! We need to get back home, George is waiting!” the girl giggled in the clearing beneath her, and she heard her husband scoff, but nod, before bringing the girl in for a lingering kiss. Sulpicia watched them thoughtfully. A decision would have to be made.  
  


* * *

The day had gone as well as he could have planned, Aro thought, as he was driving Ramona back to Florence. None of the guard said a single _word_ to Ramona, and had completely left the two of them alone. If there were gossip or whispers, Aro would surely hear of it, but he had the sense that most of the guard believed she was nothing but a Christmas _snack_. And he didn’t intend to make them think otherwise.  
  
  
Aro was concerned that Ramona would be in a horrible mood when she woke in the morning; that she would be tearful about being away from her family, about being in Florence. But she was surprisingly nonchalant about the whole ordeal and didn’t mention it at all; in fact, the girl seemed to be more concerned about being away from her _stupid animal_ than she was about her family.   
  
  
Although, when he thought about it—Ramona _did_ mention that she was considering just spending Christmas by herself in New York this year. And that she had done that in the past…perhaps his pretty human wasn’t as concerned about missing her family as he thought she would be.   
  
  
When they returned to the condo, Ramona immediately went to the kitchen to feed the cat as well as cook herself some dinner. Aro felt bad that he didn’t feed her but she said it wasn’t a big deal, and made herself a grilled cheese. It reminded him that _he_ would need to eat. She joined him on the couch near the Christmas tree, and she happily ate her sandwich.  
  
  
“Oh, before I forget, I have _your_ Christmas present too—” she paused, getting up to grab a rectangular box behind the tree. It was delicately wrapped and Aro frowned, wondering when she had found the time to get him something. Although he supposed she _did_ go shopping that night with Demetri when they bought all the ornaments.  
  
  
“You got me a gift?” Aro chuckled. It had been a _very long time_ since he had received a gift. Ramona looked at the box seriously, and he could hear her heart beginning to beat harder in her chest. He quirked an eyebrow at her reaction, and began wondering what on earth she had put in that box to cause her to react in such a way.   
  
  
Slowly, she handed it to him, making sure to not touch his hands.   
  
  
“Merry Christmas, Aro,” she said softly.  
  
  
Curiously, he opened the box, only to find a bunch of silver tissue paper and an envelope on top. Before he went through the tissue paper, he opened the envelope and peered at the message inside.  
  
  
  
_Not now. Not tomorrow….or next week....or even next year….but maybe someday.  
_

  
_ Mona  
_

_  
__  
_ He looked at her curiously, noticing that her cheeks had turned an attractive flush of pink as he read and reread the note, trying to decipher the meaning. He had an _idea_ , but he couldn’t be certain—he slowly and methodically ripped through the tissue paper until he found the small gift inside.   
  
  
It was tiny, smaller than any item of clothing that he had seen in a long time, and he realized that he had never held one of these items in his entire life. It was soft, and plain white, no frilly lace or designs, nothing special about it at all. It was completely ordinary. A small tag said “newborn” on it and he could’ve sworn he felt a pang in his chest where he knew his unbeating heart was, as he considered the tiny onesie in his hands.  
  
  
“I just—I’m not ready now,” her voice interrupted his thoughts, and he managed to tear his eyes away from the small piece of clothing towards her own. “I don’t know if I’ll _ever_ be ready…or if I even _want_ one…I don’t even think I’d be a good mom, but—” she looked at the small onesie in his hands, “I don’t know…maybe things can change. _One day._ Just not right now.”  
  
  
Aro leaned forward to catch her lips with his. “Not right now.” he agreed.   
  


* * *

  
**Italian Translations:**

**“Buongiorno, Signore e Signora! Vuoi adottare un cane o un gatto?” - "Good morning, Sir and Madam! Are you looking for a dog or a cat?"  
  
**

* * *

**Cue the beginning of coos and awws at Aro and Ramona getting along during Christmas.**

**I had to. A few people in the comment sections were like - Ramona's gonna have a sad Christmas, and I was like...NOPE. NOT IN MY STORY.**

**So I wanted to give her this. Give her AND Aro this. Because I have a feeling this happiness isn't going to last much longer.**

**But this story answers a few things for you! 1) Y'all have asked for a cat, I DELIVERED a cat. Mwahaha. Our new character George is based off a cat I used to have. He was a grey Scottish fold with one yellow eye. 2) Y'all wanted Sulpicia, well where she is. More of her and the rest of the Volturi to come. 3) You wanted Volterra, boom, I got you. 4) Marcus and Ramona met! 5) An actual, mature discussion about children.**

**Anyways, thank you for reading! Hope you enjoyed the happy tone of this chapter because the next one is when everything in this story is going to change.**


	22. It's All Been a Lie

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey!!!! Happy Tuesday!
> 
> So I wasn't going to post this today. I was going to wait and post this tomorrow, but I just remembered I actually have a busy day tomorrow and I don't feel like rushing through it so I decided just to post it today! So YAY! Plus I managed to finish chapter 23 last night and I'm basically finishing up 24 at this moment, so I'll be all set to post those later in the week/next week.
> 
> Um, I guess...ENJOY this chapter. If you can. 
> 
> If you want to reread a few chapters before reading this, to remind yourself of the happiness this story made you feel, now is a good time :) 
> 
> Anyways, thank you for all of your reviews and THEORIES! I love reading your theories. Some of you are SO SPOT ON, some aren't, but that's what makes it fun.

* * *

  
Caius had thought that the holiday to Greece was far longer than necessary, but Athenodora had insisted and he could hardly deny her when she had been so patient lately. And he hadn’t taken her out on any trips or holidays _in a while_ , and Greece had always been good for her, bringing her back to her homeland igniting a small spark of passion in her cold heart that he enjoyed seeing again.  
  
  
He was thankful that Sulpicia didn’t end up joining them, afterall. His wife had _insisted_ they invite her— _the two women had grown very close in their isolation_ —and he could only imagine the horrible _dullness_ of a holiday in which he was trotted around the country by two women. But Aro’s wife declined, and thus the trip became a lot more intimate than he had been expecting and for that he was very appreciative that his sister-in-law stayed in Volterra.  
  
  
When they returned back to Volterra, Caius couldn’t help but notice that…something had _changed_. He wasn’t entirely certain, but he could tell that the guards were _stirred_. Unfortunately, the guard was chalk full of immortal teenagers and gossip spread about the masses like wildfire. This time though, Caius was glad for it…because it just confirmed his theory that _something unnatural_ was going on with his brother Aro.  
  
  
 _“Did you see the human he brought with her on Christmas?”  
  
_ _  
__“He’s back to normal and eating pretty young girls again_ —”  
  
  
 _“I don’t know, I think he’s doing something a **lot** different than that_—”  
  
  
He had suspected something was going on with his brother for quite a while, _ever since he came back from that Cullen trial_ …but he had attributed the abnormalness to the fact that Aro was likely sulking about not getting the clairvoyant and Edward’s mate to join the guard. He knew that his brother had his hopes set on attaining them for the Volturi, and their rejection of him at the trial would have been enough to cause Aro to get into a mood. Aro didn’t handle rejection very well, after all…the bastard had almost always gotten what he wanted.  
  
  
Caius had enough of waiting around for Aro to fess up to whatever mischief had happened while he was away; since he had returned, the black haired vampire flouted around the castle as if everything was perfectly fine, his arrogantly eccentric demeanor seemingly unfazed by the whispers going on about him in the castle.  
  
  
He knew that if any of the guards _did_ know anything, they might not tell him. It was well known that Caius and Aro competed over the true loyalty of their guards like a game of chess. Some were in Aro’s pocket and some were in Caius’ pocket—and for all of his eccentricities and carefree attitude, Caius knew his brother could be as bloodthirsty and cruel as he could, and Aro would make sure that the guard knew better than to betray him.  
  
  
One day he searched all over the castle for Aro, after Santiago, Jane, and Alec returned from Prague after dealing with the case of newborns. They had dealt with the newborns, but there was still the matter of the creator, who had somehow disappeared from the country. The Volturi would _need_ to track the creator down, and _to do that_ , the Volturi would _need their bloody tracker._ Caius needed to talk to Aro about utilizing Demetri once again and relieving him from tracking the Romanians so they could handle this mess.  
  
  
While the guards might not tell him where Aro went, Caius had a feeling that the human secretary might know _something_. The human hadn’t been at the castle long enough to be truly loyal to Aro only, and Aro never cared enough about the human help to do so. That being said, Caius didn’t _either_ , but…sometimes he used that to his advantage.   
  


The secretary was typing away vigorously at her keyboard, seemingly distracted, and Caius scowled, before banging his fist on her desk. The human jolted in response, her eyes widening in shock and she gaped at him like a fish. Caius smirked cruelly, drumming his nails on the desk.  
  
  
“Human,” he sneered, and he watched as her throat bobbed up and down as she took a large, frightened gulp. He would have to remember to call having her when the time came to dispose of her. “Where is Aro?” he asked her, feeling that she knew _something_.  
  
  
She frowned in confusion, “I do not know, Master Caius. He hasn’t—he hasn’t been here all day,” she managed to say. The blond vampire’s scowl deepened.  
  
  
“I do not like wasting my _time_ , girl,” he could feel his patience dwindling down for the human in front of him. Perhaps he would dispose of her sooner rather than later.  
  
  
“If you know what is _good for you_ , you will wrack that tiny human brain of yours and figure out something useful that will give me good reason to keep you here and not dispose of you now.”  
  
  
“I—I don’t _really know_ where Master Aro is, Master Caius,” she stuttered, her heartbeat thumping erratically in her chest. “He’s been gone so often lately—”  
  
  
“I _know that_ , you stupid girl,” Caius’s hand shot out towards her neck and the girl gasped in pain. “That’s the _entire reason_ I am asking you at all. I _thought_ you might actually know something useful, or know where outside of this city he might be, but you clearly know _nothing_ so—”  
  
  
“I-I-I guess h-he could be in Florence—” she whimpered, as she tried desperately to claw off his hand that was tightening around her throat. He raised an eyebrow, and slowly released the grip on her throat. She gasped in pain, taking large, deep breaths.  
  
  
“Why would you say he would be in Florence?” Caius asked darkly. As far as he knew, there was no good reason for him to be in the nearby city. They had only gone to Florence in the past when they took the wives out to see shows, or when there was that newborn decades ago that had begun terrorizing the city. Aro had never been the type to roam or travel around, except for _lately_ , when he was more often _not_ in Volterra than he was.  
  
  
“He—he’s probably at the condo,” she croaked, her throat tight and sore, “You know, the one by Piazza Santa Trinita?” She said it as if she expected him to know all about it, as if it were public information. Caius seethed internally— _what was he doing with a private condo?_ Private residences were expressly _forbidden_ in the Volturi. After too many guard members tried to own their own places and it made a _mess_ of the order they had, it was decided by the three kings that it would not be allowed.  
  
  
 _For_ ** _anybody.  
  
_** ** _  
_**Of course Aro would hold himself above the rules. When had he _not?  
  
_  
Caius would have been amused on any other occasion.  
  
  
“And what, _Laura_ , is the exact address of this condo?”  
  


* * *

  
After Christmas, Ramona and Aro spent the next couple of days together before it went back to business as usual, and she didn’t see Aro for a few days. She didn’t mind though, and figured some space between her and her vampire boyfriend— ** _fucking god_** _, when did she start thinking of him as her boyfriend_ —was probably healthy for the two of them. A good break for her pelvic area as well; her and Aro had gone a bit overboard after their agreement with the condoms and even Ramona had to admit that it was a _bit much_.  
  
  
The Monday after Christmas the ballet studio opened again, and with the Nutcracker being over, she felt like she was really part of the group. Signora Ionetti announced that they would be beginning auditions for Coppelia soon, and Ramona beamed in excitement as she had never danced in that particular ballet before. She talked briefly with Signora Ionetti and she said that based on her prior experience, she would be putting her with the rest of the soloists. Ramona was very thankful for that; not that she would have minded, but she felt like she had worked too hard to be put back in the corps.  
  
  
On Tuesday evening, she was getting out of the studio, having spent the last eight hours rehearsing practicing and beginning to feel like her legs were turning into jelly. It was insane how only a few weeks could make her feel like she was so out of practice and of shape.  
  
  
“Ramona, come out with us tonight!” Claudia called out, and she smiled over to the small crew of ballerinas, a few male dancers, and the maestro that she had started getting along with. She smiled at her new friend and shrugged, “Not tonight,” she answered, and she grabbed her backpack off the floor of the studio and left. Demetri was there by the gate and they walked together back to the condo.  
  
  
“I’m exhausted, I’m just going to bed early tonight,” she said out loud, cracking her back and stretching her arms in the air. She yawned. “If Aro comes by, let him know that there’s no way in hell I’m going out tonight.”  
  
  
“Sleep first, playtime later?” Demetri quipped and she scowled at the vampire.  
  
  
“How _very dare you_ ,” she tried to smack him. But it was all in jest, and they laughed on their way back to the condo. Ramona couldn’t help it—he had somehow become her best friend in the last few weeks. “Not but seriously. I’m just going to sleep, so he can stay in Volterra tonight if he wants.”  
  
  
“Yes **_ma’am,_** ” the vampire jokingly saluted her. She stuck her tongue out.  
  
  
When she had gotten back to the condo, she stripped off all of her sweaty ballet clothes and took a shower, changing into a comfy pair of grey sweatpants and a white camisole. In her exhaustion, she didn’t feel like cooking and just ate a bagel for dinner, before she crashed in bed, curling up in the plush comforter. She sighed and closed her eyes, letting herself drift off into a comfortable sleep, feeling warm, and relaxed, and safe in her bed.   
  


* * *

  
Demetri sighed, lounging outside the condo on the bench, idly watching humans as they wandered by him on the street, not knowing the predator that laid in their mist.  
  
  
Lately, Ramona had offered to let him stay inside and wait for Aro, but he refused… _he knew better_ than to do that. The little human might have thought it was an innocent offer, and it _would have been_ —Demetri held no desire for Ramona in _that_ way—but he had a sneaking suspicion that his master would not appreciate it. And although he held Aro’s favor now, he had no desire to land himself on the wrong side of the vampire king’s ire.  
  
  
It wasn’t long before the dark haired king arrived, looking like he was already in a particularly foul mood. Demetri bowed. “She’s asleep, Master Aro,” he explained in a rushed voice, hoping that the king wouldn’t take his displeasure out on him. “She said she was too tired from practice and wanted to go to bed early tonight.”  
  
  
Aro sighed, “That is fine,” he said, itching the bridge of his nose. “Thank you Demetri. This rather works out, I need to run a few errands on my own anyways. You will stay here the rest of the night then.” It wasn’t a question, but rather a demand. The guard member nodded loyally. The vampire king studied him carefully.  
  
  
“You may leave to feed at some point if you need it,” Aro taking notice of the guard’s black eyes. “I cannot have you putting the girl in any danger. She should be fine, she is a deep sleeper, just make it quick whenever you decide to do so.”  
  
  
He was letting him _leave her alone? Without a guard?_ Demetri was surprised, as Aro had been very adamant since the beginning that she was not to be out of his sight. That he was concerned that she would try to run away if she had the opportunity to do so. _Had something changed?_ It was true that Ramona seemed a lot brighter and more cheerful than usual, and he hadn’t heard her mutter a single complaint about Aro since before Christmas. Still—his master was putting a lot of faith and trust in the girl that she wouldn’t leave.  
  
  
“Yes, Master Aro,” he said slowly, not quite believing what he was hearing but not wanting to argue against him. Aro nodded to the guard and left him there, disappearing in a flash.  
  
  
 _She’ll be asleep though…it won’t be a big deal_ , he told himself. Aro was probably right. Nothing would happen if Demetri was gone for a half hour. He would have time to get outside of the city and hunt and then come back without her even making a peep.  
  


* * *

  
_Ramona was confused; she didn’t know where she was, and she was all alone, stuck in a dark room and barely able to see anything. A searing pain in her abdomen brought her attention and she screamed. She could feel sweat pouring down her forehead and every limb and muscle in her body was trembling. She called out but nobody answered_ — _not her parents, or her sister, or Aro…  
  
_ _  
__And then she felt it. She screamed, and she looked down at her stomach and it was as if she was out of her own body. Her abdomen was ripped open, a bloody mess on her lower body, and she was struggling to breath. She heard a cry and she looked away from the frightening massacre that was her body to see where the cries were coming from. There was Aro, and in his hands, a bloody, shrieking infant. He stared at the small figure in his arms in delight.  
  
_ _  
__“Aro_ — _” she tried to call out, to reach out, to get to him and their baby. He gave her a quick glance over, but what she saw in his red eyes…was nothing. It was worse than hatred, or anger, it was nothing…she was nothing to him. She continued crying and calling out but it was no use, he didn’t spare her a second glance as he walked out of the room with the child in his arms. She listened to his footsteps echo down the hall and_ — **BANG.  
  
**  
Ramona jolted awake, immediately sitting up in her bed and looking around the room in confusion. She _heard_ something, she knew it. _Maybe it was George_ —she thought to herself, until her eyes landed on the small grey ball of fur by her feet. She frowned, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes and looking to the clock on the wall. 8:00PM. She hadn’t even been sleeping that long—  
  
  
As she began to become more awake, her mind was slowly forgetting the dream that haunted her sleep. And she let it; she didn’t _want_ to think about that horrible nightmare, the loneliness that she felt, the pain that she suffered, the cold look in Aro’s eyes…  
  
  
“ _Well, well,_ ** _well_** —” an unfamiliar voice broke her out of her thoughts, and she looked up to see a stranger standing at her door. He smirked at her. “ _What_ do we have here?”  
  
  
On instinct, her first move was to scream and throw the nearest object at the intruder, but unfortunately for her that closest object was a pillow and it did not do any form of damage. For all of the trouble, the intruder only looked mildly annoyed by her reaction. That’s when she noticed the red eyes— _a vampire_ , she thought nervously. She felt her heartbeat quicken dangerously at the unfamiliar predator. He was young, and handsome, with pale blond hair almost as white as snow and a smug, self-satisfied smile on his face.  
  
  
In retrospect, Mona should have been more fearful of an unknown vampire creeping into her living space. But—Aro was the leader, right? And he had been so certain that none of his guard would hurt her. Unless he wasn’t from the guard…  
  
  
“W-who are you?” she stuttered, and inwardly cursed herself for sounding so afraid. “Where’s Demetri?”  
  
  
The vampire’s eyes seemed to gleam wickedly at her question. “He is not here,” he answered simply. “Nobody was here when I arrived, you were left completely _alone_ ,” his smirk grew just a bit, “ _unguarded.”  
  
_ _  
_Ramona fidgeted, taking in the information. “Oh.” was all she could say. She didn’t understand, because besides that one time, Aro had Demetri watch over her at all times. “Are you…are you part of the guard? Did Aro send you?” she asked skeptically. She highly doubted that Aro would appreciate one of his guards barging into their bedroom unannounced. The vampire raised an eyebrow and chuckled.  
  
  
“No, _simple girl_ , Aro did not send me. My brother was doing all that he could to hide his little pet from me. But he didn’t do a very good job. I could smell your scent off of him the second that I walked into Volterra. And _before that_ as well. For someone who wanted to keep you hidden, he had done such a _lousy_ job. That’s what he gets for all of his arrogance—”  
  
  
“I’m not a pet,” she scowled, insulted at the dig.  
  
  
But she thought about what he said. _His brother_. _Caius?  
  
_  
He just laughed at her. “Of _course you are_ , silly girl. _What_ , did you think that you were the _only_ human girl that Aro has amused himself with over the years?”  
  
  
Ramona shifted uncomfortably. This was not a conversation she wanted to be having.  
  
  
Caius continued. “Aro has always had a terrible habit of _playing with his food_. Although, never quite for this long…” he considered her for a moment, “What is it about you that Aro hasn’t killed you yet, hmm?”  
  
  
It was getting worse and worse by the second, and Mona could feel her anxiety bubbling and threatening to consume her. _He’s lying_ —she told herself. But she thought about her lover, about Aro, and realized… _was it_ ** _that_** _unbelievable to believe that he toyed with other human women in the past?_  
  
  
But this was different, surely…what had transpired between her and Aro felt so real, so natural. Even when he was at his worst, he still radiated off an affection for her that she knew _couldn’t_ be faked. She was more than just food, she knew that—the man wanted her to have his child for Christ’s sake.  
  
  
She clutched the blanket tighter to her chest as if it were life support. “He—we—it…it’s not like that,” she managed pathetically, “We’re—”  
  
  
“You’re _what?_ ” he cut her off, “ _Special?_ You seem the same as any other hum—” But then his nose twitched, and his expression shifted, **_darkened_** , as if he just noticed something for the very first time. Understanding filled his eyes. “Ah… _I see now_. I don’t know how I didn’t notice it before—you are related to that Cullen bitch, aren’t you?”  
  
  
Indignation flared in her chest at the disrespect towards her sister. “What of it?” she snapped. He appeared more amused now than anything.  
  
  
“My dear brother was _very_ put out when he could not convince your sister or the clairvoyant to join our guard. He has quite a hobby of collecting talented recruits,” he smirked, “Although, I see nothing talented about you. But perhaps Aro is interested in your _other kinds_ of talents…” she watched as his eyes travelled slowly down her body, pausing at her cleavage. She blushed and looked away. Wrong move though, as the vampire took the opportunity to creep up closer to her until he was practically on top of her. She felt his fingers, cold and smooth as marble, grasp her chin and tilt her head up so she was looking at him.  
  
  
“I have never been one to entertain myself with humans the way that Aro has,” he dragged his thumb across her lip. She shuddered. “Although, I suppose I could see the appeal. I’m sure Aro enjoys nothing more than a _hot cunt_ to stick his dick in—”  
  
  
“ ** _Fuck you_** ,” she swore, and thrashed her head away to try to get out of his grasp. His fingers clasped her chin in an iron tight hold though, and it was hopeless.  
  
  
“He will have to be careful with you though, after the nonsense that happened with your sister,” he tutted. She glared at him and uselessly continued to attempt to shrug him off. “Unless…” he started, his eyes lighting up at the idea, “Unless— _oh, Aro_ ,” he laughed out loud. A mirthful, loud laugh that Ramona noted would have likely sounded nice if there weren’t cruel intentions behind them. “He is truly a _child._ Always needs to have what others have. ‘ _Carlisle has it so I want it too’._ The Cullens have one of those unnatural hybrid children and now Aro wants one of his own, doesn’t he?”  
  
  
She said nothing, refusing to confirm it. His cruel words made her feel more and more like a joke and she wanted nothing more than to crawl into a hole and not come back out. Aro’s brother was nasty, and mean, and cruel; _no wonder_ he didn’t want her meeting him.  
  
  
“You are rather lovely for a human, I could see why he would pick you,” Caius’ hand travelled down from her chin to rest on her neck. Her pulse betrayed her by quickening in fear. “Do not _worry_ , human, I will not have you. Aro can be awfully stingy, I know how much he doesn’t like to _share_ ,” his words did not assuage her fear and she shivered under his touch, “I do not think my wife would very much appreciate it either. How Sulpicia puts up with Aro’s behavior is beyond me—”  
  
  
A knife plunged into her chest.  
  
  
“W-who?” her voice was soft, quiet…if it wasn’t her own, she wouldn’t have been able to hear it. Caius heard, though, and his mouth twisted into a much more sinister grin, if that were even possible.  
  
  
“Sulpicia,” he repeated, practically purring the name. “His wife?”  
  
  
Her mind stopped the ability to function properly. The fact that she had a very dangerous and very cruel vampire no longer registered for her. Her brain could only focus on those two words, repeating in her mind like a cruel mantra. _His wife, his wife, his wife…  
  
_ _  
_“Did you not _know_?” he mocked. “Oh you silly human, did you actually think that Aro was unmarried?”  
  
  
“I—” she couldn’t speak. The words closed up in her throat, unable to come out. She wasn’t even sure that they would make sense. Her brain had been taken, and beaten, and stepped on, and rolled out until it stretched so far it threatened to break.  
  
  
 _A wife. Aro has a wife._ ** _Of course_** _he has a wife_ —  
  
  
“Did you truly believe a thousand year old vampire would be single?” he continued to ridicule her. “Oh _carina,_ how naive of you—”  
  
  
“Don’t _call me that_ ,” she hissed. Tears were threatening to run down her face and she could feel herself beginning to fall apart. _Not while he’s here, not in front of him.  
  
_ _  
_“Aww, did Aro call you that?” he cooed, “You should hear what he has called Sulpicia all these years.”  
  
  
“I don’t _fucking_ care." She began thrashing more in earnest, to the great amusement of the blond vampire.  
  
  
“Perhaps he will give your child as a gift to Sulpicia when you have birthed it and he is all done with you,” he exclaimed, each word a separate stab wound to her chest over and over and over again, “He will rip the infant out of your womb and leave you to die on the birthing table. Then perhaps the Cullens will get the punishment they so rightfully deserve—”  
  
  
“Shut the _fuck_ up!” she screamed. _Fuck_ , _was this it? Was this it all along?_ Was she some form of punishment or revenge against her sister and her family?  
  
  
 _He’s been fucking using you_ , her brain screamed.  
  
  
 _He has a wife. It’s a lie. It’s a lie. It’s all been a_ ** _lie.  
  
_**  
“When all is set and done with you, perhaps Aro will let me be the one to finish off your miserable little existence,” he murmured, his face dropping low to her neck, his lips brushing up against her pulse. She wanted to scream, she had never been so terrified in her entire existence. “As I sink my teeth into your _pretty little nec_ —”  
  
  
“Ramona?”  
  
  
They were interrupted, and they both looked over to see a very concerned looking Demetri standing in the doorway. The guard looked over at the blond vampire and bowed, but never took his eyes off of him. “Master Caius,” his eyes were glued to the spot where Caius’ mouth was threatening pressed against Mona’s neck. “What—what are you doing here?”  
  
  
The blond vampire looked annoyed. “I would ask you the same, Demetri,” his expression turned smug, “Are you not supposed to be tracking the Romanians?”  
  
  
Demetri shifted uncomfortably. He didn’t have any good response. But Ramona immediately felt a bit of relief at the other vampire’s presence.  
  
  
“Do not worry Demetri, you will not be punished for Aro’s transgressions,” Caius told him. He looked at the girl in his grasp one more time and pinched her cheek. “I just wanted to see the little pet for myself,” he gave her a condescending pat on the cheek before letting go. He looked at Demetri, “I hope Aro has been rewarding you for this loyalty you’ve shown him. If you haven’t yet, give her a _go_ ,” he said snidely, gesturing to Ramona, “it’s the _least you deserve.”  
  
_ _  
_Demetri said nothing as Caius strolled out of the bedroom, laughing to himself. Neither him nor Ramona said anything, nor did they even look at each other, just listening to his footsteps as they retreated down the stairs and out of the house. Finally, the cruel vampire left the house, and Mona collapsed onto the bed, curling into herself. Every nerve in her body was on fire and she felt like she was going to suffocate, as every breath was painful and coming out in short, broken sobs.  
  
  
Absently, she heard Demetri walk towards her and felt pressure on the bed as he sat next to her. A hesitant hand touched her back and she twisted her body away from the vampire.

  
“ _Leave me alone_ ,” she hissed, only half heartedly trying to whack him away. She pressed her face into the pillow and wished to disappear.  
  
  
“Ramona, I—I’m sorry,” Demetri apologized, “I shouldn’t have left you alone, it’s my fault. I’m sorry, I know—I know Master Caius isn’t the nicest, I’m sorry that he scared you—”  
  
  
“ _Scared me?_ ” she hissed, breaking out of her curl and sitting up. She looked him straight in the eye. “You think I’m just upset because he fucking scared me?”  
  
  
He looked confused. “Well yeah…I saw him threaten you,” he frowned,”What…what did he say to you?”  
  
  
Tears were running straight down her face, which she was sure was an embarrassing shade of red from crying so bad. She could feel snot running down her nose. She tried to wipe her face. “You _knew_ ,” her voice bit at him, “You knew and you never told me—”  
  
  
“Knew what?”  
  
  
“That Aro is _married_ ,” she spat out. Her glare intensified as she saw a flash of realization across his face. He made a small “oh” sound.  
  
  
She scowled. “Yeah, _oh_ ,” and suddenly she hated the vampire in front of her as much as she did Aro. “You knew, and you knew about _us_ , and you never said _anything_ —”  
  
 _  
_“Ramona, it’s not my place to get in between you—”  
  
  
“Don’t talk to me about _your place_ ,” she shouted, getting up and off the bed. “Fuck—I thought you were a friend. I’m so **_fucking stupid_**.”  
  
  
“I—I am your friend,” he tried, “Ramona—”  
  
  
“ ** _No_** ,” she backed away, “Friends…friends tell their friends when they’re being used. When they’re being taken advantage of. And if the guy that they’re seeing has a _goddamn wife_!”  
  
  
Demetri said nothing, just watched her sadly as tears continued to roll down her cheeks. She cried. “I’m fucking dumb—I let him manipulate me this _entire_ time. He never fucking cared about me, he was just using me to get his stupid hybrid—”  
  
  
“No, Ramona, I don’t—I don’t think it’s like that.”  
  
  
“It’s _exactly_ like that,” she said angrily. Taking a deep, sobering breath, she wiped her curls away from her face and charged away from Demetri into the ensuite. She began taking different toiletries out and throwing them on the bed.  
  
  
Demetri frowned at the behavior, “What—what are you doing?” She continued throwing things on the bed, and when she was done with the bathroom, began on her bureaus. Random articles of clothing were thrown across the room in a blind rage.  
  
  
 _“I’m leaving_ ,” she announced. Ignoring his protests, she grabbed her backpack and suitcase out of the closet and began to throw everything in them.  
  
  
“Ramona, stop—”  
  
  
“No!” she yelled, “I’m getting _the fuck_ out of here—”  
  
  
“You can’t—”  
  
  
“Yes, I **_fucking can_** ,” she snapped, closing her suitcase and twisting around to face him. She looked him dead in the eyes. “Are you going to stop me? I can’t be around him, Demetri. Not after all of this. I can’t _trust_ him—”  
  
  
“Ramona, I think it’s more complicated than you’re making it out to be.”  
  
  
“It’s not complicated at all,” she stated, her voice finally starting to level off. “He has a wife. And _I’m_ the other woman. And I’m not going to do this anymore,” she looked up at him, “And if you were my friend, you’d let me go.”  
  
  
The young vampire’s brows furrowed sadly. “I think you’ll regret it.”  
  
  
“The only thing I regret is ever giving Aro the benefit of the doubt,” she sniffed. She held her hand out in front of her. “Please give me my stuff back.”  
  
  
Slowly, Demetri’s hands went to his pockets and he pulled out her cellphone, wallet, and passport. He handed them all back to her. “This is a mistake.”

  
Ramona took back the objects, and she felt as if a piece of her identity came back to her. She threw her passport and wallet in her backpack and stuffed her cell phone in her pocket. “Thank you,” she whispered, and before she could lose her courage, she wrapped her arms around him in a big hug. He returned it, and Ramona allowed herself to feel one flighting moment of comfort before letting go.  
  
  
“Take care of my cat,” she told him. She frowned. “—don’t let Aro eat him.”  
  
  
And then she ran out the front door. The one that previously locked her in. She didn’t look back. She didn’t falter. She hailed a taxi—the first one that she saw—and in mangled Italian, asked to be driven to the airport. She was going home. 

* * *

**And there she goes, there she goes, there she goes again-  
**

**But does she go THROUGH with it?!  
**

**You'll just have to wait to find out. Mwahaha.  
  
  
And you all were asking for Caius. Well, here's Caius. He done showed up and fucked EVERYTHINGGGGGGGG up lololololol**


	23. Revelations and Runaways

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TGIF. 
> 
> Thank God it's Friday. I'm so done with this week lol I'm enjoying the day though, I got my dad to read all of Good Omens and now we're watching it all day and I love nothing more than a Good Omens marathon. If you haven't read or watched it yet, I highly suggest it.
> 
> Also, New Moon was on last night and I couldn't resist. 
> 
> Enjoy this chapter!! Hopefully you aren't going too crazy from Ramona and Aro's shit storm of a relationship.

* * *

Aro hated admitting that he had ever made any mistakes. Only happy accidents happened to him. And since things had almost always gone his way, Aro rarely had to deal with the ramifications of his actions, or feelings of guilt and regret which were practically foreign concepts to him.  
  


But he had made a mistake. And a very unfortunate one at that.  
  
  
Because as it turned out, Sulpicia did _not_ end up going to Greece. And that she was in Volterra, all along. During Christmas. When he had brought Ramona.  
  
  
“Did you enjoy your Christmas with your little human mistress?” she asked two nights after Christmas, when he had come to the tower to grab something from his personal desk. He was surprised to see her there, figuring that she would still be in Greece. But there she was, sitting at the side table, her hands folded together like she was waiting patiently for him to show up. Her casualness about it annoyed him even more than usual this evening.  
  


“You are supposed to be in Greece,” he replied, ignoring her question. He strode right over to his personal desk, past Sulpicia, and began rummaging about.  
  
  
“And you are supposed to be a leading example for the vampire world,” her tone remained neutral, but he _heard_ the edge of condemnation in her voice. She couldn’t hide it from him. “And yet, _here you are_ —”  
  
  
“Here I am—”  
  
  
“ _Tainting_ the Volturi’s reputation by behaving in the most embarrassing way that you could,” she rolled her eyes at her husband, “ _Really Aro_ , bringing her to Volterra—”  
  
  
“It’s none of your business,” he cut her off harshly. Aro had no intention of having this discussion at this time. He had come in to get something and then leave. His wife’s presence in their chamber was an unwelcome surprise.  
  


“I would think it would be a wife’s business to know how her husband’s mistakes are going to affect her,” she sniffed, absentmindedly picking at her nails.  
  
  
Now it was Aro’s turn to roll his eyes. They had been married for over five hundred years. In that time, Aro had never been _particularly faithful._ It was not unknown to his wife, nor the entire guard for that matter, that he had a habit of taking women to his personal study for a bit of entertainment before he fed. “You had never complained before.”  
  
  
‘You were never in _love_ with any of the other women before.”  
  
  
Aro stopped what he was doing immediately to glare at his wife _. In love with Ramona_ —the feelings that he had for the girl was strong, indeed, but…Aro never truly _loved_ anything. And yet—  
  
  
Whatever it was that he felt for Ramona, it _was_ something new.  
  


Something that he didn’t want to let go either. Or sacrifice for _anyone.  
  
_  
Aro itched his nose, trying to think of something to say. His wife was looking at him expectantly. “You do not know what you are talking about,” he managed, although even he had to admit to himself that he didn’t sound convincing. “She was the same as any of the other girls—”  
  
  
“Except you _didn’t_ kill her,” Sulpicia added, staring up at him with her large red eyes. “You left with her _alive._ After you took her on a tour of the castle, showing her off—I _saw you,_ Aro, _both of you_ , prancing about in the snow like a couple of teenagers,” Aro made a loud sound of exasperation, running his hand through his hair in frustration. “So, Aro, I _do_ think I know what I am talking about.”  
  
  
“What do you want, Sulpicia?” he said tiredly.  
  
  
“I want to know what you think that it is you are getting yourself _into_ , Aro. And what this means for me? For our marriage.” Her words were surprisingly soft and gentle.  
  
  
He looked at his wife. He didn’t _hate her._ There were things about Sulpicia that he had grown to appreciate over their many years together. She was generally easy-going, never complained, was good natured…gentle, sweet, obedient, physically appealing. Everything that he thought that he wanted in a wife.  
  
  
But it wasn’t enough. Not anymore.  
  
  
Silently, he continued pilfering through his personal desk until he found the file that he was looking for. The entire reason that he came. He hadn’t wanted to do this in front of her, but she had unfortunately left him little choice. Aro pulled out the file and slowly walked towards his wife, handing it to her. She raised a brow and opened the file, wondering what was inside. She took out a _very old_ looking piece of paper.  
  
  
The fair haired woman immediately frowned. “Our marriage certificate?”   
  


“I made an appointment with our lawyer,” Aro said simply, “I am filing for divorce.”  
  
  
“You’re _what?”  
  
_ _  
_He repeated himself and she continued to look speechless. “You knew that you were nothing more than someone to pass the time with _anyway_ ,” Aro said casually. Sulpicia bristled under the coldness of his answer. “The truth?” he paused, as if to think about it, “The truth is that I am simply done with you. I no longer require you, this pretense of a marriage is over.”  
  
  
His wife looked affronted. “I am your _queen_ —”  
  


“You _were_ my queen,” Aro corrected her, “And now I no longer desire for you to be so. But five hundred years is nothing to sneeze at, darling, you have had a good run—”  
  
  
“So, you _are_ planning on replacing me with that little human of yours,” she said testily, “ _Tell me_ , are you planning on locking her in this tower the moment after you transform her as well?”  
  
  
“What I intend to do with Ramona is not of your concern,” he snapped.  
  
  
“Ah, _Ramona_ , what a pretty name. A pretty name for a pretty girl. Does this pretty girl know that you are currently _married_ , Aro? Or have you been pulling the wool over her eyes this entire time as well?”  
  
  
“Again, you would do well to _mind your business_ —”  
  
  
“ _Oh,_ so she _doesn’t_ know, does she?” Sulpicia shook her head, her blonde waves cascading perfectly with each shake. Her expression was a mix of amusement and exasperation. “ _My dear husband_ , _how many_ ** _lies_** _you’ve told_ —”  
  
  
“ _Indeed_ , and it has been exhausting,” Aro sighed, and he walked over to his wife until he was practically on top of her. He grabbed her marble chin and titled her face up towards him. “Do not fret dear. I have no intention of making your departure public. I shall save you of that embarrassment, for your many years of loyalty.”  
  
  
“Of _my embarrassment_ , Aro?” she glared, “Or _your own_? After all, Gods know how many of your own rules you have broken for this woman. If other covens _knew_ …”  
  
  
At that, his grip on her chin became painfully strong, and she gasped, feeling her perfect, marble skin threaten to break apart. But not enough to break fully. Only enough to _get the message across._ “Sulpicia, my dear. I am the jury, the judge, and the executioner,” his thumb stroked her cheek. She didn’t move. “I _am_ the law.”  
  


* * *

  
The streets of Florence blurred together as the taxi cab headed to the closest airport. Ramona leaned her head against the window, but she wasn’t really paying attention. She closed her eyes and willed the pounding in her head to stop.  
  
  
She moved through the airport robotically, going through the motions. Her mind barely registered anything that was happening around her. People with blank faces checked her bags, and checked her passport and license, and soon enough she was walking through customs.  
  
  
Ramona was very fortunate to make it in time to catch the red-eye from Florence to Boston, where she’d then catch a connecting flight after a two hour layover to Seattle. She sat in the practically empty terminal, clutching a cup of coffee in her hand. The heat from the cup was the only thing grounding her to reality, and she sipped it slowly, never wincing when it burned her tongue because at least it meant that she felt _something.  
  
_ _  
_“Now boarding Flight 815 from Florence to Boston,” the announcement echoed. She grasped her coffee tighter. Taking a deep breath, she walked over slowly, each step feeling like a million miles. The boarding pass she held in her other hand weighed a thousand pounds.  
  
  
“May I see your boarding pass signora?” the gate attendant asked. Ramona stared at the piece of paper in her hand. Her heart thrashed wildly in her chest in violent protest.  
  
  
 _He lied. He lied, lied, lied…_ her brain reminded her foolish heart.

  
Her heart was being tortured.

  
She felt her fingers slip the paper over to the guard attendant, who hummed happily and stamped the pass, handing it back to her.  
  
  
“You are all set! Right through this door to board the plane—”  
  
  
Ramona nodded, and robotically took back the boarding pass. Her feet guided her to the door, willing her _to move, to leave, to run away while she still can_ —  
  
  
She looked back one more time. _One more time.  
  
_

Her eyes searched the airport. Searched the terminal to see if Aro had followed her.  
  
  
But he was nowhere to be seen.  
  
  
Ramona didn’t know if she was happy or sad about that.  
  


* * *

  
Aro returned to his private study in Volterra after making the trip to Siena, where he met with his lawyer and went over the final details of the documents he had been working on. His lawyer, Signore Carlo Capponi III, was a personal lawyer to the Volturi; the lawyer was the son of their last lawyer, who was the son of their lawyer before that, and on and on it went. They did not have to utilize their human lawyers much, only when faced with situations which required assistance from a human lawyer due to some governmental concern— _they had a use for the lawyers quite a bit in the 1920s and 40s when their country descended into a facist madhouse and made things quite difficult for them. Feeding during the second world war had been a_ ** _nightmare_**. But they kept a human lawyer all these years, with the understanding that nothing would be revealed and the family would continuously be generously rewarded for years to come.  
  
  
Aro went over the divorce petition with the lawyer for hours, making sure that everything was settled and went over the process in which he had to serve Sulpicia the letters. _That_ he was not looking forward to, and he had a feeling from their last conversation that she would not be so easily convinced.  
  
  
The lawyer asked if he was concerned about any assets that Sulpicia might attempt to take with her in the divorce. While the lawyer knew of the Volturi’s _special_ arrangement, he did not need to know the detailed intricacies of what happened in the castle. _Though there are quite a few priceless paintings and treasures that she could take if she felt so bold_ , the thought to himself. He wondered if she would take his last Picasso.  
  
  
Aro was sitting at his desk and reviewing the divorce papers one last time, when he heard the sound of running coming towards him from outside his study door. He frowned and stood up. _Who was running in the castle at this time of day_? He wondered. If it was Alec again, he swore he would hit that boy—  
  
  
“Master Aro!” a familiar voice called, and the door opened to reveal a _very_ distressed looking Demetri. He frowned— _what was he doing here?_ He was supposed to be guarding Ramona. His stomach dropped when he noticed how upset Demetri looked. “It’s Ramona—”  
  
  
“Where is she?” He took in the guard’s guilty looking expression and became immediately angered. Aro thought that he might end up throttling the boy. “Why are you not with her? You were supposed to—”  
  
  
“She _ran off,_ ” he said hurriedly, his words practically slurring together in a rush to come out. “She said she wanted to go back home—”  
  
  
“ _And it’s your responsibility to make sure that_ ** _doesn’t happen_** , Demetri,” Aro’s tone was callous. He couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “What _happened?”  
  
_ _  
_Demetri held his hand out. Feeling a bit appeased by the show of deference, Aro took it and closed his eyes, studying his mind and memories. The most recent memories flooded him; Demetri walking up the stairs inside the condo after hearing a commotion coming from inside, opening the bedroom door and walking in on Caius and Ramona, his teeth _threateningly_ bared upon her neck, Caius’ cruel words as he left…and it got _worse._ Ramona sobbing, yelling about him, about his wife…packing her suitcase and guilting Demetri into giving her back her stuff and letting her go—  
  
  
Aro smacked Demetri’s hand away and growled angrily in frustration. **_Fuck_** , he thought to himself. _Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck_ —  
  
  
“I am so sorry Master Aro! But I couldn’t—” he stopped when he saw Aro’s dangerous look flicker across his face. He tried again. “If I forced her to stay, if I kept her here, she'd never _forgive us…._ never forgive _you,_ Master. She’d hate us—”  
  
  
“She _already_ hates me,” Aro spat bitterly. His eyes shot fire at the other vampire and he had to restrain himself from ripping his head off. “I will _deal_ with you later. You will remain in Volterra for now until I figure out what to do with you. You will **_not_** leave this castle. Should you attempt to leave, you will be executed _immediately_ and _without trial_.” and he stormed out of his study in a fit of anger.  
  
  
Everything had gone to _Hell._ Pandora’s Box was owned and all of the fucking _shit_ of reality poured out and out until it overflowed and consumed them all. Aro had tried _so hard_ to maintain control; control of his wife, of his brothers, his guard, Ramona…and in his arrogance, he let his control slip _just a little_ and now everything descended into _chaos.  
  
_  
No more, he decided. No more letting his control slip even just a little.  
  
  
Because now Aro has lost almost everything.  
  
  
Including what had begun to matter _most of all.  
  
_  
Demetri’s memories stirred a pain in his chest that he didn’t even think was possible. Ramona had always been so stubborn and strong willed. Even when she found out he was a vampire, and when he confronted her back in her apartment, she held herself together in a way that impressed even him. Hell, his little human even threatened to _stab him._ She had always held on to her anger rather than her sadness.  
  
  
But to see her _sobbing_ —  
  
  
Aro hated it.  
  
  
Aro realized that he would have preferred her anger, her hatred….that he could _deal_ with, that he was used to. She could yell at him, scream, call him names all she wanted. Part of that was what had endeared her to him in the first place. What had made her _so alive.  
  
_  
She could be an angry little ball of fire, but she was **_his_**.  
  
  
Her sadness though—he was unsure how to navigate that. He had never seen her look so _broken_. So defeated. And it was his fault. His own.  
  
  
 _Although I certainly had assistance_ —Aro thought angrily, as he charged his way into the throne room. Sure enough, Caius was sitting there, lazily flipped through a book. Marcus was also present, and as Aro stormed in, the other dark haired ancient looked up in concern. “Aro?” Marcus peered at him worriedly. “What has happened?”  
  
  
Aro’s eyes flickered to the young blond, who was not even bothering to mask the smirk on his face. He had an instant desire to rip his whole head off of his body. “ _Caius happened_.” he snapped. If possible, the blond vampire’s smirk grew and he turned his attention to Aro.  
  
  
“What have I done now to upset you, brother?”  
  
  
“I would _very much_ appreciate it if you would stay out of my private affairs,” he said tightly. He was trying his hardest to remain calm, but ever condescending smirk and mocking glance out of his brother made it difficult to not want to throttle him to death.  
  
  
“Oh, I would _hardly_ call that affair _private_ ,” Caius chuckled darkly. “Did I upset your pet? For that I am sorry, Aro. But I am sure that you have ways to soothe your little girl.”  
  
  
Aro bristled at the word ‘pet’, but ignored it for now. He had larger concerns. “She ran off,” he said simply. At this, Caius finally reacted and became his usual, angry self. He shot up from his seat.  
  
  
“ _What?_ ” the vampire appeared just as angered as he did at this news. But for entirely different reasons. “Where was Demetri? He was there when I left her, I thought that you had him _watching her_.”  
  
  
This was definitely an unfortunate complication that they could agree on. “Evidently, he let her go,” he seethed, “Demetri decided it was the most prudent action to take in that moment.”  
  
  
“ _Prudent?”_ he hissed angrily, “He let a human who knows about our existence go without supervision. He must be punished—”  
  
  
“We should handle Demetri’s punishment at a later time,” Marcus spoke up, “For now, you need to focus on Ramona, Aro. Where would she go?”  
  
  
He thought about it. “She could go back to her apartment in New York. Or go to her mother…” he frowned. No, _he knew where she would go._ “But it is most likely that she will go back to Washington.”  
  
  
“And get that god-forsaken _unnatural_ animal-drinking coven to protect her!” the blond vampire reacted, “I _knew_ we should have taken them out when we had the chance. Now, thanks to your little _bitch_ , we have an entirely new situation to deal with.”  
  
  
“Well, you did not help the situation _either_ , Caius,” Aro scowled, “You just _had_ to go and upset her—”  
  
  
“I told her the truth, simple as that. It is not _my fault_ that you lied to the girl and decided it was a good idea to **_play house_** _with her_ _!_ ”  
  
  
“Let me see what you said to her, exactly,” Aro demanded, holding out his hand. Caius sneered disdainfully at it.  
  
  
“So it is going to be like that, is it?” he snapped.  
  
  
“I think it is sensible for us all to be on the same page,” Marcus provided, the voice of reason, “That way we can best assess the situation and figure out how to handle our problem.”  
  
  
“I’ll tell you how we can handle the problem,” Caius growled, “We can kill Aro’s _little bitch_ , destroy those perversions of vampires, and Aro can find himself a new meat sack for him to _stick his dick into_ —”  
  
  
“You _shut your fucking mouth_ —”  
  
  
“Maybe if you spent more time with your wife than human whores—”  
  
  
“ ** _Enough_** ,” Marcus stopped them both, the only calm energy in the space of fire and anger that threatened to tear the kings apart. Caius and Aro were practically at each other’s throats. He pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration at the other two kings’ behaviors. “It is not as _simple_ as what you suggest, Caius…Aro shares a mate bond with this girl.”  
  
  
The truth was out and Aro felt worse than before. His _mate_ — _and God, did it feel good to think of her as his mate_ —was hurting, and it was because of him and his actions. His mistakes.  
  
  
Caius shifted uncomfortably at the revelation. “What about Sulpicia?” he asked. Marcus shook his head quietly, signaling the death of Aro and his wife’s bond. Aro looked annoyed.  
  
  
“I was in the _process_ of filing divorce papers when you decided to share that information with Ramona,” he bit out, completely frustrated at the poor timing. “I intended on handing them to her today.”  
  
  
The other vampires processed the information. “Do you believe that Sulpicia will leave willingly and without problem?” Marcus finally spoke up.  
  
  
“She does not matter anymore,” Caius said callously. Aro was slightly surprised at how easily and readily he turned to cast her aside. But then again, he supposed that Caius didn’t truly care that much for anyone. Except maybe his own mate. “She will have to leave if we command it. Or face the consequences—”  
  
  
“I would rather not cause a scene,” Aro said tightly. Although no love existed between him and his wife, he did not care to damage her— _or his own, for that matter_ —reputation any more than he already had. He wanted it swift and quiet.  
  
  
Caius extended his hand to Aro. “Here,” he muttered, his voice short and clipped. “So you can see what happened.” It wasn’t that he looked necessarily guilty, or regretful…but he was no longer finding the situation amusing. Aro took his hand and closed his eyes, replaying the scene in his mind. The fear in her eyes, the cruel words of Caius, the taunting her with his marriage. _No wonder Ramona had become so upset_ —  
  
  
The words Caius threw at her were cruel. And untrue.  
  
  
 _“He will rip the infant out of your womb and leave you to die on the birthing table_ —”  
  
  
No. Aro would stay with her. The entire time if he could.  
  
  
 _“Perhaps he will give your child as a gift to Sulpicia_ —”  
  
  
Aro wanted nothing more than for Ramona to be a mother. The mother of _his_ child.  
  
  
 _“Did you think that you were the only human girl that Aro has amused himself with over the years?”  
  
_  
She was the **only** one that mattered.  
  
  
 ** _That ever mattered_**.  
  
  
Aro growled loudly in frustration, and Caius removed his hand from his immediately, no longer wanting to be in the range of the vampire’s fury lest he attempt to remove his head. Ramona thought she was nothing but a _tool_ , that he was just using her to get a hybrid child and that he intended on throwing her away once he had gotten what she had wanted. _But she didn’t understand._ Aro wanted her as well…he wanted a child, but that meant _nothing_ if he couldn’t keep _her._  
  
  
He thought about all that had happened. About Ramona, and how she had her entire world turned upside down, about how he took her out of New York, how he put constant surveillance on her, how he was trying to trick her into getting pregnant. About Sulpicia, and how she was locked in a tower for hundreds of years, how he never truly loved her but kept her anyway, about how he was so easily planning on throwing her aside. He thought about his coven, and how they could suffer if he fucked everything up disastrously. Aro thought about his brothers, who had been missing their third leader for the past month as he narrowed his focus on a woman. He thought about the Cullens, who he had wanted to hurt so badly because he was angry that he didn’t get his way. Aro thought about himself; about how he thought that he had everything just to have it turn out that he truly had _nothing_ , and that the one thing he wanted was running away from him at blinding speed.  
  
  
There were no winners in this—  
  
  
These revelations ran through Aro’s head as he left Volterra. And then _he_ ran.   
  


* * *

**Aww...poor Aro.  
  
**

**He thought everything was going according to his plan, and now everything is all mucked up. But that's karma for you.  
  
**

**Maybe he'll grow from this. Or maybe he'll just fuck everything up again. Who knows?**


	24. The Hangover

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Monday! 
> 
> I hope you all had a good weekend. I just got home from work and I am posting this now. My day was GOD AWFUL and so stressful and I'm so happy to just come home, post this, and then relax for the rest of the night lol I'm pumping myself up with some Starbucks at the moment but I'm barely holding on.
> 
> Anyways, enjoy this chapter! I love reading all of your theories about what Aro is going to do. I'm VERY excited for you to read the chapter after this. I should be very interesting mwahahaha.
> 
> Btw, if anyone knows anyone that does somewhat non expensive commissions, I kind of want to make a commission of Aro/Ramona for this story and for my Twitter page. <3

  
  
The flight across the Atlantic was long and bumpy, but Ramona had got a window seat so she couldn’t be too mad about it. She attempted to sleep through the turbulence but hardly had any luck. The plane’s turbulence was also making her stomach upset and she felt nauseous. Ramona barely made it to the bathroom before she vomited into the toilet. When she thought about how close her face was to a public toilet, she vomited some more.  
  
  
Her connecting flight from Boston was much better, and she paid to be upgraded to first class so she could sit by herself in case she became sick again. Her stomach felt much better; her heart, however, remained shattered. With nothing to use to help her cope, Mona turned to the only fail safe coping method she knew.  
  
  
She ordered alcohol. _Copious amounts_ of alcohol. The flight attendant gave her a bit of sass after her fourth gin and tonic, but she ignored her, tossing the liquor back and letting it burn down her throat.  
  
  
It hurt. But she preferred to focus on the pain in her throat instead of in her heart.  
  
  
As the wheels of the plane hit the land beneath it with a loud thud and a jolt, Ramona felt herself breathe a sigh of relief at being back on American soil. She was home.  
  
  
And she was _trashed_. The plane began spinning as she stood up, her head pounding as a consequence for her drinking. Ramona began stumbling down the aisle, and she must have been worse than she realized as they insisted that a flight attendant help escort her to the baggage claim. They even went so far as to help her hail a taxi.  
  
  
Charlie’s house was a welcome sight, and the nostalgic feeling of warmth and love filled her up. She slurred a “thank you” to the driver, handing him a $50 dollar bill instead of the $10 bill she meant to give him, and grabbed her bags. Despite her woozieness, each step to the house felt closer to salvation. Like everything would somehow be _okay_ once she stepped through the front door.  
  
  
Ramona idly wondered what time it was. She had been too drunk to pay attention and her brain couldn’t process the numbers on her phone screen. It was still dark though. She hoped it wasn’t the middle of the night.  
  
  
She knocked on the door and rang the doorbell. It took a few minutes, but the door finally opened. Charlie looked exhausted, but he was dressed in his police uniform as if he were about to go to work. His brows furrowed in shock and confusion as he stared at Ramona’s small, unsteady form on his doorstep. The smell of booze was overwhelming.  
  
  
“Mona?”  
  
  
She rushed into his arms and sobbed against her father’s chest. Charlie didn’t know what happened, but he didn’t need to; he wrapped his arms around his daughter and promised her that everything would be okay.  
  


* * *

Charlie Swan thought that there should have been some course that prepared a man for being a father to two girls. While he had always assumed that at some point in his life he would settle down, get married, and have children, he was unquestionably unprepared for the many, _many_ challenges that fatherhood entailed. And he was blessed with daughters. Both of whom he was certain tried their very hardest to make life as confusing, difficult, and as chaotic as possible.  
  
  
Bella was the easy child…she didn’t cry much as a child, never threw tantrums, or screamed. She was his little tomboy. He used to bring her fishing. Charlie would bring her over to the Blacks and they would hang out, and she’d be playing in the back with the boys making mud pies and playing tag. She was so easy…well, until she came back to live with him in Forks full time and then she _wasn’t_ , thanks to a certain family known as the Cullens. These last two years had been the most stressful years of parenthood of his life, and he was willing to forgive Ramona for all of the hardships she gave him as a child for what Bella had put him through.  
  
  
Mona wasn’t easy, and it never made much sense to Charlie that she was the more difficult because she had grown up— _for the most part_ —with both parents, while Bella had divorced parents for most of her life. Although perhaps it was _because_ they were married, and she was witness to their fights and arguments that led to their eventual divorce. Mona screamed as a child; _a lot._ She would throw temper tantrums and he would have to figure out different punishments because they never seemed to curb her behaviors.  
  
  
When she was eight, she ran away from home for the first time. Bella had just been born a few months beforehand, and Renee was so busy with the infant that she didn’t notice that Mona ran off. He still remembers that frantic call to the police station, Renee freaking out while simultaneously trying to shush a wailing infant, and how he left in a hurry to scour the streets of Forks for his missing daughter. It didn’t take long, because fortunately Forks was a small town, and he had gotten a message from a friend that he saw her skipping along by the corner store. He fought her tooth and nail to get into his cruiser, but after promising to buy her McDonalds she finally relented.  
  
  
It was not the last time that she had run away. There had been multiple times throughout her life that Charlie found himself scouring Forks in search for his flighty daughter. Charlie remembered finding her at the train station when she was sixteen. She was upset that she was _“stuck at Charlie’s”_ for two weeks during the summer and insistent that she was going to get back to wherever Renee was living at that time. He had fortunately found her just in time, and after they had a long heart to heart, Ramona promised to stick out the rest of the two weeks in Forks without issue. And then he would talk to her mother about not having to come next year. It was the last time she had ever run away from home.  
  


His eldest daughter, the flight risk.  
  
  
But he had never had her run away _to home_ before.  
  
  
Yet here she was, in his arms, shaking and crying and smelling like she just emptied an entire liquor store. _Why was she here though?_ He hadn’t talked to Ramona since before Christmas, but that wasn’t in and of itself unusual, and she had sounded okay the last time that they spoke on the phone. She was supposed to be in Italy right now, dancing in that fantastic dance company or whatever and making him sick with worry thinking about how she was dating that foreign guy he didn’t like. But she wasn’t dancing, and that boyfriend of hers was nowhere to be seen, and she was all alone and upset.  
  
  
 _Something happened_ , Charlie realized. Something happened between her and that guy, there was no other explanation. He held her tighter, trying to comfort her as her sobs began to subside slowly, forming into small hiccups.  
  
  
“Why don’t we get you settled in your room?” Charlie offered. She nodded into his chest, and he grabbed her suitcase and backpack and guided her up the stairs into her childhood bedroom. He would have to go to work soon, it was six in the morning and his shift began in an hour, but from the looks of it, she was likely going to pass out anyway. Which she _did_ , the second he helped settle her into bed and tucked her in like she was five years old again. Charlie grabbed a bottle of Aspirin and a water bottle and left it on her nightstand. He smoothed Mona’s hair, black and curly just like his own, and gave her a kiss on the forehead, and closed the door behind him.  
  
  
As Charlie left to go to the station, he wondered _what on earth happened_ to cause his daughter to go from being lovesick to completely distraught, and how he was going to throttle the man that hurt his daughter.   
  


* * *

  
When Ramona awakened, it was still dark out, the sky a familiar shade of purplish black and in the back of her mind, she was grateful that she wouldn’t have to face the sun. Her head was killing her, and she was regretting having that fourth drink and knew that she would be paying for it for likely the rest of the day. In a haze, she opened her tired eyes and looked around her childhood bedroom.   
  


It felt strange to be back home, sleeping in her childhood bedroom. The walls were still painted baby pink, old paintings that she made when she was younger were still hanging…old photographs of her when she was in high school, hanging out with her friends, littered the walls. She looked at the photo of the eighteen year old version of herself, with her hair pulled up in a high side ponytail and her arms around two very drunk and very silly girlfriends of hers. Friends that didn’t stick around past college anyways. She was so young, so naive.  
  
  
A time before she knew of vampires. A time before heartbreak. And pain.  
  
  
Ramona made her way downstairs and raided the refrigerator, hoping that some greasy food would help cure her of her hangover. She made herself more bacon that any human had any right to ingest, and poured herself a glass of ginger ale with a shot of apple cider vinegar in it—Charlie’s homemade hangover cure. She was on her sixth slice of bacon when her stomach twisted angrily and she immediately felt nauseous. Ramona ran to the bathroom and emptied her stomach contents into the bowl.  
  
  
 _Fuck_ , she thought, _I really did a fucking number on myself.  
  
_ _  
_She threw away the rest of the bacon and sipped slowly on the gingerale, praying that it would help settle her stomach. Realizing she had no idea what time it was, she searched the kitchen for her backpack and zipped it open, taking out her cellphone. _Damn_ , she thought when she looked at the time, _it’s already 5PM.  
  
_ _  
_Although she wasn’t really sure what time she came in last night, she had a sneaking suspicion that she had been sleeping for a _while._ But Charlie should be home from work soon, hopefully.  
  
  
Ramona then noticed that she had _fourteen_ missed text messages and five missed phone calls. She frowned, and clicked the phone icon to see who the missed calls were from. Three from Aro— _surprise, surprise_ —one from Bella, and one from her ballet company.  
  
  
 _Fuck_ , she swore to herself, when she saw the number from La Toscana’s Ballet Company listed. _I’m so screwed_ —  
  
  
 _Good fucking job, Mona_ , her mind mocked her, _Is this the second job that you’re going to lose in less than a month? You’re on a real roll_.  
  
  
She then looked at the text messages, and of course, they were all either from Aro or Bella. She ignored Aro’s, not wanting to even _consider_ going down that rabbit hole, and then looked at Bella’s. She had about six unread messages, and they all pretty much said the same thing.  
  
  
 ** _/ Mona, are you okay? /  
  
_** ** _  
_****_/ Alice saw you on a plane to Seattle, are you coming home?/  
  
_**

**_/ Mona, what happened?!?!!/_ **

**_  
/ When you get this, please call or text me back!/  
  
_** ** _  
_**She ignored her sister’s text for the moment and decided to call her ballet company. Although she wasn’t even sure what she would even say. _Sorry I missed work today, I found out that my vampire boyfriend was actually married this whole time and that I was the other woman, and also he was actually just using me to get back at my sister and her vampire family all along?  
  
_ _  
_Somehow, Ramona didn’t think that Signora Ionetti would approve that excuse.  
  
  
After she figured out how to make an international call, Ramona held her breath in anticipation and the phone rang, only to be greeted by the voicemail. She wanted to hit her head against the wall. **_There’s a fucking 9 hour time difference, stupid_** —she yelled at herself. It would be the middle of the night there, nobody was going to pick up.   
  


_Well. It was nice having a job there even if it was just for a week,_ she thought dejectedly. She looked back at her cellphone and considered her sister’s text messages. Ramona guessed that she should go and see her sister next.  
  
  
She showered and made herself look like an actual human being, not wanting to look like a complete train wreck in front of the Cullens. She was in the kitchen fixing up her hair when her dad came home, his arms full with a paper bag full of groceries.  
  
  
“Hey kiddo, you’re up,” Charlie commented in surprise. He placed the bag in front of her and began to take out a bunch of steaks and vegetables out of the bag. “I thought I’d cook you up a steak tonight. You hungry?”  
  
  
Her stomach rolled in protest and she had to look away from the nauseating red meat in front of her. “Thanks Charlie, but I think I’m all set,” she managed, “my stomach actually doesn’t feel very good.”  
  
  
“Still hungover then?” Charlie chuckled, and she glared moodily at her father. “Well at least you’re not following it up with hair of the dog like you used to…”  
  
  
“Ugh, that actually might not be a bad idea,” Ramona muttered, wondering if she still had her stash of nips up in her bedroom. “I’m actually thinking of swinging by the Cullens and seeing if I can get a quick checkup from Dr. Cullen. Bella’s been texting me anyway.”  
  
  
“You want me to drive you?” her father asked, and she shook her head. The less involved in her drama, the better.  
  
  
“No, I’m okay. The drive might actually help clear my head. Can I borrow the keys to the truck?” she asked, and he nodded, handing her over the keys. She excused herself from the table, ran upstairs to her bedroom to grab her sweatshirt as well as a small bottle of fireball that she found hidden in her sock drawer from when she was nineteen. Ramona gave her dad a quick goodbye as she bounded out the door and climbed into her dad’s spare pickup truck. Taking a deep breath, she turned the ignition and drove her way to the Cullen residence. _Toward more vampires.  
  
_  
 _Because apparently I don’t know how to stay away from them_ , she thought bitterly.  
  
  
Ramona parked the truck in front of the mansion and sat in the truck for a few minutes, mentally preparing herself for the shit storm that was about to happen. In a badly thought out attempt to gather her courage, she unscrewed the cap to the bottle and threw back the liquor, the whisky burning her throat on the way down. It actually _did_ help the pounding in her head though, which if she were thinking clearly, was a rather _bad sign_ of her unhealthy dependency.  
  
  
Before she could even knock on the front door, the door swung open and her sister practically jumped out and attacked her, wrapping her in a tight hug. Ramona hugged her back, and finally, in the safe embrace of her sister, let it _all out._ An explosion of emotions erupted and overflowed, and she was sobbing in her sister’s arms.  
  
  
Bella helped her inside and sat her on the couch, smoothing her hair and rubbing her back in large, slow strokes. Ramona wasn’t paying attention but she could feel that she had an audience, who were all watching the human with concern. Someone poured her a glass of water and gave it to Bella, who instructed her to sip it. The older sister took the glass and shakily brought it to her lips. The cold water felt good.  
  
  
“We were so worried about you, Ramona,” Bella said softly, still running her fingers through her sister’s hair in an attempt to calm her. “Alice had a vision of you freaking out and leaving Italy. Did something happen? Did Aro do something?”  
  
  
She stopped sniffing and ran a hand down her face, wiping away her tears. “Yeah, _something happened_ ,” she bit out testily, and she immediately slapped her sister’s hand away. Anger was overcoming her sadness real quick. “Aro being _married_ happened.”  
  
  
Bella just gave her a sad expression, and Ramona saw her sister look at the rest of the Cullen family, who were all quietly watching, as if asking for help. Ramona scowled. “Did you know?” she asked angrily, looking at Bella’s guilty expression. “You knew. You _all knew_. You all knew Aro was married, and that I was seeing him, and you _never told me_ —”  
  
  
“ _Honestly?_ We were more concerned about the fact that he is a _vampire_ than him being married.” Bella tried to explain.  
  
  
“Oh, like _you’re_ one to talk—”  
  
  
Bella continued to look at her concern, her eyes, which were now an unsettling shade of gold like the rest of the Cullens, searched her body. As if looking for something.  
  
  
“Did he hurt you?” she asked. _She’s searching for bruises_ , she realized.  
  
  
Ramona shrugged. “Not physically.”  
  
  
But _mentally? Emotionally?_ She was destroyed.  
  


“You should have known,” the blonde haired vampire spoke up quietly, and Ramona looked over to glare at the beautiful girl sitting not too far from her. Rosalie wasn’t necessarily unkind, but her voice wasn’t completely sympathetic. “You should have known he was married.”  
  
  
Ramona considered it. _Should she have known_? It always felt like there were still secrets between them, reasons why he wanted to keep her so far away from Volterra, even though he was certain that his guard wouldn't’ hurt her. His brother’s words echoed in her mind and for the first time, she understood them differently: _“flaunt his affairs so openly in public”._ When he said affair…he meant **_affair_**.  
  
  
Still—when she thought about the horrible things that Aro could have been hiding from her, a wife was one of the last things on her mind.  
  
  
“He never so much as mentioned another woman’s name, why shouldn’t I have been surprised?” Ramona said sadly, fidgeting with her shirt. “He mentioned…mentioned starting a life together. Where is there room for a wife in our life together?” She thought about it, and felt horrible. She didn’t know his wife, but when she thought about it, she was just as much a victim in Aro’s nonsense as she was. Ramona wondered if she knew about her. “A wife that sits and waits for Aro to return to her after washing me off of his skin.”  
  


They sat quietly for a moment, letting it all in. Bella began to rub her back again and she let her, allowing herself to calm down just a little bit. She was angry, but her anger was being redirected towards the wrong people. It wasn’t _their_ fault that Aro was a lying, cheating, manipulative bastard.  
  
  
A low whistle echoed through the room as the larger son, Emmett if she remembered correctly, came into the living room from the back entrance. He was joined by the other brother, who looked equally amused. “ _Damn_ , smells like someone robbed the whole liquor store,” he joked, looking at Ramona, “What happened to you small fry?”  
  
  
“Aro,” she muttered darkly. “Aro happened.”  
  
  
The family shared a _look_ , and Emmett no longer looked amused. “Well…that sucks.”  
  
  
“Yep,” she becoming more irritated by the second, “Well, you try and see wha—” but her bitching was interrupted as she felt her stomach flip once again and she swore out loud, realizing she was going to barf again. Ramona got up and pushed past the group of vampires to run to the upstairs bathroom. She barely made it before she got sick. She moaned, resting her head against the cool bowl. She heard someone come in behind her.  
  
  
“I’ve never felt this sick from a hangover before in my life,” she croaked pathetically, her throat dry and sore from all the drinking and vomiting. She felt someone kneel beside her, and a cool hand brushed against her forehead. She leaned into the cool touch; it felt nice on her hot, sweaty skin.  
  
  
“Your temperature _is_ a bit warm,” the soothing, calm voice of Dr. Cullen said, and she turned around so she could face the handsome doctor. Despite their unpleasant past intersections, Ramona felt relieved to see him and felt a bit safer. Carlisle looked at her with his strange golden eyes. “How many drinks have you had?” he asked.  
  
  
“I had four drinks on the plane last night,” she recalled, wincing, “and then…well, I downed a nip of fireball right before I came here.” Ramona flashed him a _‘please do not judge me’_ smile. He did not seem amused.  
  
  
“That was probably not the best choice,” Carlisle scolded, and Ramona rolled her eyes. _No shit._ “Especially if you were already feeling sick.”  
  
  
“I just can’t seem to stop vomiting,” she wiped her mouth, “Even before I started drinking, the turbulence was fucking with my stomach. Now I feel like a _nightmare.”  
  
_ _  
_Carlisle hummed, studying her thoughtfully. He placed his fingers on her neck to check her pulse. After a few moments, he frowned. “I think it might be best if I give you a quick check up in my home office,” he offered, “Just to make sure that everything is okay.”  
  
  
Ramona nodded, and then an idea managed to pop into her hazy, alcohol induced brain. “Hey! Do you think you could email my work as my doctor, excusing me for the next week or so as I try to figure my life out?” she asked. She took his hand gratefully as he helped her off of the floor. “It would really be doing me a solid, I’m trying not to get fired _again._ ”  
  
  
The doctor sighed. “Fine. But I’m going to need you to take a few tests for me, and I’m going to need you to not freak out or refuse them.”  
  
  
“Deal” she agreed. Ramona figured he’d just be doing some blood alcohol level test and then tell her if she continued she’d get liver disease. And maybe he could prescribe her some medication, maybe some antidepressants or something, because she desperately needed _something_ at this point and she should probably lay off her old friend Mr. Booze for a while.  
  


* * *

  
If the continents were not separated by a large body of ocean crossing eight thousand kilometers, Aro thought he could have gotten to Ramona quicker. Vampires can run a span of many, many kilometers and Aro knew that he could have ran on foot and made it to Ramona in a great deal quicker time.Unfortunately, as it was, there was an ocean in between Italy and the United States, so he had to take the jet to Washington and deal with an excruciatingly long 14 hour flight.  
  
  
He lived for over a thousand years. And yet this fourteen hour flight seemed to be the longest span of time in his entire existence.   
  


Although there had been other vampires who had made the swim across the Atlantic from Europe to America, which had only taken them a few hours. Aro was certain he could have done with the swim as well, but he would need the jet to return to Volterra…and he didn’t want to ruin his suit.  
  
  
Aro _tried_ reaching out to Ramona. He had sent her multiple text messages and called her three times, but she hadn’t responded to him and her silence was nothing but _deafening._ He growled in frustration, and it took everything in him not to rip apart the piece of technological metal in his hand and throw it out the window.   
  
  
He was _fucking_ ** _tense_**.  
  
  
Every muscle in his body was tense, every nerve screaming to be released, and had never felt so fucking tight and uncomfortable in his life. _You hadn’t seen Ramona for a couple days_ —his brain reminded him, and he swore to himself, regretting that he hadn’t swung by the condo for a quick moment so he could see her. He was missing her—she had calmed the beast inside of him that he never knew _needed_ to be calmed. For his life, he was holding on to his rage, and anger, and cruelty, never truly letting it rest. But when he laid in bed with Ramona after they would have sex and listened to her sleep, the steady rhythm of her breathing rocked him to a calm lull that was almost _addictive.  
  
_  
Aro craved her sweetness. He craved how she kissed his shoulder when she woke up, how she would lean her head on his chest, how she’d run her fingers through his chest hair and he’d hear her pray in her mind that he wouldn’t tease her about it.  
  


He was needing her more than she could even know.   
  


Aro sent her one last text. **/ I know you hate me right now. But now that I have found you, I would be remiss to ever consider letting you go. /  
  
  
**

* * *

  
**THIRD chapter in a row that I gave you without ANY Aro/Mona interaction. Do you miss them together? Despite their craziness? lmao  
**

**Do not worry, they will be reuniting VERY soon.  
  
**

**I hope you enjoyed the chapter! Leave a comment or review or whatever, let me know what you think or if you have any theories ;) I love it!**


	25. Finally Said.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HAPPY FRIDAY EVERYONE!
> 
> SO SORRY for the long delay (not really that long, I think just like 4 days but it felt like forever lol). I had a VERY busy week. I worked a 16 hour shift last night and worked this morning til 4PM, so I'm just getting home now. And because I would like to have a social life tonight and see my boyfriend, I am spitting this thing out as quick as possible! 
> 
> I ALSO JUST finished chapter 26 TODAY. I don't like posting if I don't have the next chapter ready to go, but it's now all set and I even started on 27, so we're in good business!
> 
> Also....this chapter KILLED ME. Like, more than ANY OTHER CHAPTER, this chapter gave me SO MUCH ANXIETY. Like, I really really wanted it to be good and perfect and come out okay, and so I lost a lot of sleep hoping that this chapter was any good. So hopefully you like it and don't hate it lol Because this chapter has made me so worried about how people will respond to it, or if they'd hate it or like it (although there will be one that I am even MORE WORRIED ABOUT coming in the future). 
> 
> Anyways, know that I love you all so much and am so grateful for this awesome community of readers! You guys are so amazing, and you have no idea how excited I get to post a chapter for you :) <3 Hope you all have a good weekend. I will likely post again next Monday.

* * *

  
Reading one’s memories was an awfully intimate affair; while moments were fleeting, memories were like permanent scars and etches in the mind that never went away. Even when the memory was of an event so long ago, Aro’s power allowed him to replay a memory like it happened yesterday, no matter how long ago it happened or no matter if the person forgot due to old age or cognitive decline. He went through their brain, exploring every moment until the person held no more secrets and all of their past was his.  
  
  
Aro had explored a lot of Ramona’s past, since he had near limitless access to her body when she was sleeping right next to him. He mostly enjoyed exploring her as a teenager; before she became so serious as an adult, and after her childhood years…Ramona was at her most uninhibited, and it was refreshing to see his little human let go of some of that pent up control she had put on herself. Teenage Ramona was wild. Aro loved watching memories of her in high school; a captain on her high school team’s dance squad, a friendly, smart girl, not super popular but well-liked, her skin tanned and sunkissed from living in Arizona. Sneaking out from under her single mother’s watch, drinking beers with her friends under bleachers, and _running away_. Constantly running away—and most of the time, the spirited teenager didn’t even know where she was going, but her mind would tell her that she had no other options and that running away was her only solution.  
  
  
His darling ballerina hadn’t grown up from that mindset, unfortunately.  
  
  
 _Clearly_.  
  
  
Aro idly wondered if he would be chasing after her for his entire life.  
  
  
 ** _You would_** , his own mind told him, and he knew it was right, _you would chase after her to the ends of the earth if you had to, you sucker.  
  
_ _  
_And it was true. Aro arrived in Seattle, Washington, and rented a car to make the three hour long drive to the small and relatively unknown town of Forks. Aro found it hard to believe his ballerina grew up in this town with a population of 3,120 people. She just seemed too larger than life to have grown up here. Although if he recalled correctly, Ramona thought the same thing of herself, which is why she fought tooth and nail to not have to spend time here with her father. His human fancied herself for bigger and better things.  
  
  
Aro made his way to where he remembered her childhood home was, deciding to check there before he would have to face the Cullens. The house was small and white, and the familiar police cruiser in the front confirmed he was at the right place. He smirked to himself as he looked at the car, being taken back all those months ago to the night when he and Mona had first met. They shared their first kiss in that car.  
  
  
Back then, Aro thought she was just a pretty little amusement to pass the time. One of his _many_ conquests, and a deliciously _deviant_ one at that considering she was the sister of the Cullen’s new bride.  
  
  
 _How could he have known that night that she would become literally_ ** _everything_** _to him?  
  
_ _  
_He knocked on the door to the house, feeling anxious and nervous all of a sudden as he imagined the door opening to Ramona on the other side of it. And Aro realized that he had _no idea_ what he was going to do or say. What would she say? What if she refused to talk to him and slammed the door in his face? Would she scream at him? Start crying? Every scenario seemed equally awful and Aro was woefully unprepared for this discussion.  
  
  
But instead of the door being opened by his beautiful human, Aro was instead greeted by the very masculine and _very irritated_ sight of her father. The man took one look at him and Aro could feel hatred radiating off of her father; he crossed his arms and leaned against the door frame, as if daring Aro to try and get through him.  
  
  
“Can I help you?” her father _, Charlie,_ asked gruffly, looking like he wanted to do _anything_ but help him. Aro shifted from foot to foot; while he was not afraid of the human man in front of him, he realized that if he wanted to remain in Ramona’s good graces, it would be best to leave her father alone.  
  
  
As he looked at her father, he noticed that man shared Ramona’s curly black hair and dark eyes. It was almost painful to look at. “I’m looking for Ramona,” Aro stated, and he watched the man’s eyes narrow even more, “Is she here?”  
  
  
“She’s not.” he said shortly. He didn’t offer anything else. Aro sighed.  
  
  
“Do you know where she is?” he asked. He knew she was likely at the Cullens then, but he wanted to make sure. He didn’t want to have to go to the vampire coven if he didn’t absolutely _have to._ The father continued to not say a word. “ ** _Please_** ,” he tried, “I _need_ to talk to her—”  
  
  
“It didn’t seem like she wanted to talk to you,” Charlie retorted quickly. He watched the father look him up and down, as if measuring how easily he could take him out. If it wasn’t being directed towards himself, Aro would have been impressed. “You know, I don’t think that I have _ever_ seen my daughter as upset in her entire life as she was after she came home from leaving you.”  
  
  
Aro was quiet. He hated hearing how upset he had made her.  
  
  
Charlie shook his head. “I don’t know what you did, because I thought she really liked you. But whatever happened? You hurt her.”  
  
  
“I know that I hurt her,” the vampire said, “And for that, I have no deeper regret in my entire life. But I want to make things better, I want to fix things—” the father continued to look unsure and Aro realized he would need to get the man on his side if he had any chance of getting Ramona back. “Mona means _everything_ to me. I _need_ to fix this.”  
  
  
The father looked exhausted. “She’s at the Cullens.” he went to close the door, but then stopped himself, and glared at Aro one last time. “If you hurt her, I’ll **shoot** you.” and then the door slammed in his face.  
  
  
 _That could have gone worse_ , he supposed, as he drove off in the rental car and made his way to the Cullen residence. But at least he confirmed that she was here, and the unfortunate reality that she had gone to the Cullens. _Very unfortunate_ —he was truly hoping to avoid any confrontation with the coven if possible. Aro could see Carlisle’s judgemental, golden stare now…and he was not in the mood for being reproached.  
  
  
The closer and closer he got to Ramona, the more anxious he felt. When he parked, Aro thought of all of the possible reactions she could have to his presence. _She’ll probably be too upset to talk to you_ , his mind told him.  
  
  
If that was the case, so be it. But _he_ needed to talk to _her_. And if she still didn’t want him, if she still hated him—  
  
  
Well. For now, that didn’t bear thinking about.  
  
  
Again, Aro found himself knocking on a door, standing at the threshold between him and Ramona. He heard chatting on the other side of the door and footsteps followed until he was once again greeted by an irritated and distrustful frown. This time from the broody face of Edward Cullen. The bronze haired vampire said nothing, waiting for him to speak.  
  
  
“Young Edward,” Aro practically purred, and he felt his own demeanour shift from being an anxious, uncertain man to his old, confident self. Not that it mattered—the young mind reader could read every thought he had and could likely see how _fucked up_ he was right now. Thankfully, the vampire didn’t comment on it. “I am here to see your sister-in-law.”  
  
  
Edward shifted uncomfortably. “I don’t know if that’s best—”  
  
  
“Let him _in_ , Edward,” her voice called out, and Aro was certain if he had a working heart it would have skipped a beat. The bronze haired vampire gave him a final glare before stepping aside and letting him into the house. Aro gave him a smug smirk before entering inside, and then he saw her sitting on the couch.  
  
  
She was _so_ ** _small_**. Not that Ramona wasn’t always small, because she was. He had enjoyed how easily he had been able to pick up her lithe body, how _deliciously_ bendable and _flexible_ she had been…her muscles, small but strong and tight, her taut stomach, the delicate round curves of her breasts—  
  
  
Edward cleared his throat in annoyance. Aro ignored the mind reader.  
  
  
But now, seeing her in comparison to the vampires around her, even her own sister, Ramona looked extraordinarily petite. Fragile, like she would break with one touch. She was swimming in a pair of grey sweatpants and a large white t-shirt. Her arms were hugging herself, as if she would break if she let go.  
  
  
Aro wanted nothing more than to reach out and touch her. Take her in his arms, hold her close, breath in her scent and capture his lips with her own—  
  
  
The bronze haired vampire cleared his throat again, and Aro’s eyes flickered to him in annoyance. _I suggest saying out of my head if you don’t enjoy these thoughts_ , he thought smugly. The younger vampire scowled.  
  
  
Ramona was so beautiful though. “Mona, I—” he started, unsure all of sudden, and his eyes scanned the room. Aro was painfully aware that the vampire coven had surrounded Ramona as if to protect her from him, and that they were watching him with distrust. He was immediately uncomfortable with this arrangement. “Mona, I need to speak with you.”  
  
  
“Whatever it is you have to say to her, you can say in front of us,” her sister spoke up, putting a protective hand on Ramona’s shoulder. Esme put a hand on Ramona’s knee. Even his dear old friend Carlisle was hovering by her like he was ready to protect her from him.  
  
  
But Aro did _not_ want to make a spectacle of himself. And despite their insistence, he didn’t think Ramona would either. He loathed the idea of pouring his heart out in front of the rest of the vampires. “Mona,” and he hated the way he sounded so weak talking to her, “please—”  
  
  
He watched as she took a deep breath and slowly brushed Bella and Esme’s hands away. She ran her hands up and down her leg, as if grounding herself. “Okay,” she said softly, and looked at the Cullen family expectantly. “Could you give me and Aro some space?”  
  
  
She was met with instant protest. But before Aro could open his mouth and effectively tell the family to _fuck off_ , his woman did it for him. “ _I don’t want an_ ** _audience_**!” she raised her voice angrily. Aro felt a bit better seeing her fire redirected at someone other than himself.  
  
  
The doctor was the first to say anything. “Of course, Ramona, you deserve your privacy…” Carlisle said, looking at the rest of his family, “I think this would be a good time to go hunting. Ramona, if it is agreeable to you, I will remain here in the next room in case you need anything—”  
  
  
She nodded in agreement, muttering a thank you and the rest of the family got the clue and left out the backyard and into the forest. Carlisle put a reassuring hand on Ramona’s shoulder, and then sauntered past Aro up the stairs. Of course, he saw the irritated and scolding glint in his friend’s gold eyes.  
  
  
Aro supposed it wasn’t the end of the world if the doctor was still around. He knew Carlisle for hundreds of years, and despite everything and their _vastly different_ lifestyles, the doctor was one of his only true friends.  
  
  
And then it was just Aro and Ramona. She stood up, as if gathering her courage. Her eyes flickered to him briefly before looking away. She seemed to be trying to look anywhere but at him. Aro frowned at her behavior; _something was off._ And he didn’t think it was about him.  
  
  
“ _Carina_ …” he murmured softly, and he saw her face twist briefly in sadness, like she was going to tear up. It hurt to see. He walked towards her, determined to touch her sweet face. She backed away immediately.  
  
  
“ _No_ ,” she growled, as if gaining courage, stepping back. “ _Don’t_ touch me. Not with your power. It’s not fair.”  
  
  
“I can touch you and not read your thoughts, cara,” he tried to explain, wanting nothing more than to hold her, “Mona, please, I promise—”  
  
  
“I don’t trust your promises anymore, Aro,” her voice cut like ice, and she ran a hand through her dark mane in frustration. “Your promises mean _nothing_ to me. You’ve lied _too much_ ,” her tone got louder, and she was starting to pick up her anger. _There she is_ , Aro thought to himself, more used to the little firecracker than a timid, sad girl. “You **_lied. Lied._** _You are a_ ** _fucking liar._** ”  
  
  
“I did not lie to you, Ramona,” he argued, although he knew it was an argument that she would not enjoy hearing. “I never told you that I was not married.”  
  
  
“Don’t you _dare_ fucking attempt to suggest that omission isn’t the same as lying,” she scowled, “That’s a bad argument even for _you.”  
  
_ _  
_“I didn’t tell you about Sulpicia because she never _mattered_ ,” he tried, but she didn’t appear more appeased. “I never loved her. Our marriage was a sham, a political complication that I kept for the last five hundred years. Because until now, there had never been a reason to want anything else—”  
  


Ramona frowned and looked at him distrustfully. He continued.  
  


“She means nothing to me, Mona. I—I’m divorcing her,” the words were coming out of his mouth like word vomit, and he knew he wouldn’t be able to stop. “I was filing for divorce before I even knew you left. I was going to end it—”  
  
  
She rolled her eyes. “That’s certainly convenient—”  
  
  
“It is true. I am leaving her. I regret not leaving her sooner, for allowing myself to carry on with that farce of a marriage while being with you.”  
  
  
“You made me the _other woman_ ,” she looked vaguely ashamed, and he felt bad for putting her in that position. It wasn’t _her_ fault. “You made me the **_other fucking woman_** , without knowing! Do you know how unfair that is?”  
  
  
“Completely unfair. Completely, utterly, and exasperatingly unfair to you—”  
  
  
“And to _her_ too!” Ramona argued, raising her voice. “I don’t even know her, but I know that I’m not the only one being _fucked_ in this equation. _You’re divorcing her?_ For fucking _what?”  
  
_ _  
_“For you!”  
  
  
“For me? _Christ_ , Aro. Don’t divorce her on _my_ behalf. Because I don’t know if I want anything to even do with you anymore.”  
  
  
“I made a mistake,” Aro admitted, wanting to drown out her words. Because they were hurting him too much. “I thought I was protecting you by not telling you about Sulpicia. I didn’t want to hurt you, or break your heart, and I thought if I could divorce her—”  
  
  
“Did you think that I would never find out?” she interrupted, giving him a scathing look of disbelief. “You’re not _that_ stupid, surely.”  
  
  
He knew he didn’t think everything through all of the time. Aro didn’t need for her to throw it in his face. “I realize that you would have found out eventually, but I hoped that by then—”  
  
  
“By then, _what_? By then it would be too late? Because I’d be stuck with you and your **_spawn_**? Trapped into being with you?” the words were venom. Aro made a loud, exasperated sound. He knew he would forever hate arguing with her. She was too good at it.  
  
  
“It’s not _like that_ , Mona. Not anymore.”  
  
  
“Not anymore. So it _was_ like that, right? I was just a pawn that you were using to get back at my sister and her family. Right? Was that not it all along?”  
  
  
Aro did feel a tinge of shame at that comment, because that _was_ how it started. But that felt like ages ago. “In the beginning.” he admitted, and her expression twisted again at the confirmation of the horribleness and he was worried she would break down. “But not anymore. Not since that night in New York…when I visited your rehearsal.”  
  
  
She didn't seem to hear him though. Ramona appeared as if her mind was still reeling from the truth of how it all began. How he used her for his own selfish purposes. Her lack of self-confidence was eating him up inside...it was so out of character for her. “I can’t believe that I ever believed you…or thought that I belonged with you. That I thought it was _ever real_.”  
  


“Mona, cara mia, it was real. It _is_ real.” If he could only make her see, make her understand…she didn’t know what was happening between them was more than just a lover’s spat. They were _bonded._ “It is the most real thing in our universe. Don’t you feel it? Our pull towards one another?”  
  
  
Ramona paused, as if letting the words sink in. “The only thing I feel right now is disgust. Disgust with you, and disgust with myself,” she seethed, then stopped suddenly. She frowned, and rubbed at her chest in discomfort. “And a little heartburn too.”  
  
  
Aro frowned, and tried to take a step closer to her. “Are you okay, carina?”  
  
  
“I’m _fine_ ,” she snapped sharply. She looked away from him. “And I’ll be better once you leave.”  
  
  
He wasn't going to leave. Not like this. Aro could not let it end here. “I cannot leave you like this. I won’t.”  
  
  
She glared at him then. “You can, _actually._ And I want you to. Aro, you have no fucking clue how much you’ve hurt me.”  
  
  
He wanted to hit his head against the wall from her stubbornness. “I _do_ know, Mona. I know how much I have hurt you, because I can feel it. I can feel your pain in every inch of my core. And I’m **_sorry_** ,” he finally said. And he wanted to scream that word over and over again if it would make everything better. Aro wanted to take her and hold her in his arms and whisper those words into her ear like a gospel. _I’m sorry, I’m sorry, I’m sorry_ —  
  
  
“I’m sorry for all that I have done.” he repeated again. She stared at him, not saying a word. Her face was a daze, as if trying to process his apology. “To have hurt Sulpicia, to have hurt my conven, your family, but most of all, for hurting you. There is no greater regret in my life than the needless suffering that I have put you through as a result of my own behavior. If I could take it all back—”  
  
  
“But you _can’t_ ,” she finally said, crying. Tears were beginning to slowly form in her eyes. But he knew better than to wipe them away. “You can’t take it all back. You created this _fucking_ shit storm and now we all have to sit in it!”  
  
  
“Mona, you need to let me fix this. You need to let me make this right,” his words were a desperate plea. “Because my feelings for you have not changed. And I know that you once held feelings for me as well, I felt them. If you truly believe that those feelings are gone, then fine. One more goodbye from you, and I’ll leave. I will live the rest of my immortal eternity in misery longing for you.  
  
  
If, however, there is still a part of you that holds something for me, I will tell you that I love you. And I have loved you, and will love you. If you’ll still have me.”  
  
  


* * *

  
“ _I love you.”  
  
_

 **Fucking** ** _damnit.  
  
_**  
He said _those_ words.  
  
  
Those three damning words. Before all this shit rained down on them, Ramona thought she would have wanted to hear those words from his mouth. She was beginning to feel it, before it all…beginning to feel that _pull_. And it was different than anything she had ever experienced before in her life. Ramona had thought that she knew what love felt like, had thought that she experienced it before—  
  
  
But now she knew she didn’t. Because nothing had ever felt like this before. The way that Aro made her feel.  
  
  
“Don’t say that to me,” she muttered, trying to clear her head and make sense of it all. It was all way too much at once. Her head was spinning from the onslaught of emotions. “Don’t tell me that you love me.”  
  
  
“Mona, I love you,” Aro repeated those damn words. They sent shivers down her spine. “Love had never been a condition of my existence until I met you.”  
  
  
Once again, Aro was spinning a beautiful web of words designed to ensnare her. He was very good at that, she realized. His voice was poetry and she wondered if that’s how he lulled in all of his prey. A charming, terrifyingly romantic predator; beautiful words and cruel intentions.  
  
  
But she did feel it too. What is it that he said? “ _It is the most real thing in our universe. Don’t you feel it? Our pull to one another?”_. It was hard for her to explain, or put into words that made any sense, but it _was_ like that they were meant to be together.  
  
  
She loved him.  
  
  
 ** _So fucking much.  
  
_**  
But he was still a liar. And a manipulator.  
  
  
She loved a manipulative liar.  
  
  
“It doesn’t matter,” she voiced out loud, more to herself than to him. She needed to remind herself. To not forget. “It doesn’t matter that you love me—”  
  
  
“It _matters_ ,” he growled. The growl was rough and the most aggressive that he had gotten with her in awhile. She froze at the sound. Her heartbeat quickened in fear. But Aro must have noticed, because he immediately softened. “Mona, it _does_ matter. And I promise—”  
  
  
“You have _broken_ every promise,” the words tumbled out of her mouth, unbidden and uncontrolled. She wasn’t able to stop herself. “And I have loved you like a fool.”  
  
  
And it was out. For both of them, and the word hung heavy in the air. They stared at each other, sharing a moment meant for only one another. Ramona broke it first, looking away, desperate to escape his gaze. Escape the moment.  
  
  
“You can’t—you can't come back here and hope that everything will be okay just because you love me. Love—love isn’t enough. It’s not enough to piece together the shit that you tore apart.”  
  
  
The vampire looked like he wanted to scream. “Then what _is_ enough, Mona?” his voice raised again, much louder than before and she noticed in the corner of her eye that Carlisle’s presence returned at the top of the stairs. He watched the pair warily. Aro was either unbothered or didn’t notice. “What is enough for you? Do you know how much that I have **_done for you_** _?_ How many _rules_ that I have broken on your behalf? How much I have _bent myself_ to your will, despite my better judgement? I have filed for divorce from my wife of five hundred years. I have lied to my brothers. I have lied to my coven. I have trusted you to go out into the word with knowledge of our kind’s existence. I may have also lost our best _fucking_ tracker in the world because of you,” he shouted.  
  
  
And at that Ramona felt horrible, knowing that Demetri would likely be punished for letting her go. She hated Aro and the Volturi for their rules. But Aro’s grandstanding was far from over. Her vampire continued, incensed.  
  
  
“So what _is_ it that you would like for me to do, Ramona? Shall I scour the Earth for a vampire that has the power to turn back time for you? Shall I make amends to every single person that I have ever harmed? _That would be_ ** _quite_** _a lot, you know_. I don’t know if eternity would be long enough.” he chuckled darkly, causing her to frown in annoyance. She hated when he started chuckling when he was angry…it usually led to unkind words and behaviors. She thought about how he acted the night of Swan Lake. She never wanted to see that side of Aro ever again. “Would you like me to become one of these _golden eyed vampires_ , hm? Would it finally _appease_ you if I humbled myself down and drank myself full of goddamn squirrels like a **_fucking mongrel_**?”  
  
  
Ramona’s eyebrows shot up at that suggestion. She had never truly considered it. Never really thought much about Aro’s diet. It bothered her, but not enough to ever force him to change for her…and she figured that the proud vampire never would. “Would you?” she asked softly, genuinely curious at the answer. Aro paused, as if stunned a bit by her tone, that she wasn’t spitting fire at him any longer. He considered her.  
  
  
Aro’s face twisted in annoyance. As if he were a child asked to do a particularly bothersome chore. _There’s my brat_ , she thought to herself, as she stared at his upturned lip and sulky expression. “Is that an _actual_ request?” he asked steadily.  
  
  
He looked miserable. And in a moment of mercy, she decided to shake her head. “No, it’s not a real request.” she thought it was rather funny that this was what had calmed him down in his moment of rage. “Your diet is horrendous, but it is not the most horrendous thing about you, unfortunately.”  
  
  
Aro scowled then. “I’m sure if you had _your way_ —”  
  
  
“ ** _My_** _way?_ Aro, you literally _always_ have your own way!” she shouted. “You always get your own way and get what you fucking want! Always!”  
  
  
“Tell me, Ramona…tell me, _how_ , I have gotten my own way right now. Because right now, I feel like I am getting **_anything_** but my own way—”  
  
  
Ramona stomped angrily. A loud, angry, harsh sound that reverberated throughout the room. She gave a rather immature shriek, and Aro raised his eyebrows at her behavior. She ran her fingers through her wild hair in frustration and stomped her way back to the couch, where she practically collapsed. She leaned forward and rested her head between her legs. Her hands clenched her head in aggravation.   
  
  
“Because I’m _pregnant._ ”

* * *

**Here you go, you fecking bastards.  
  
  
Hope you're all proud of yourselves.  
  
**

**Just kidding this ending is a lie. Ramona is ACTUALLY just saying she is pregnant with regret.  
  
**


	26. Reasons Why

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Everyone!
> 
> There's been some WHINGING about me posting this chapter (you know who you are), so HERE YOU GO. To be honest, this chapter took a while for me to write. I'm not sure why, I think it's because chapter 25 took me so long and now I'm a bit behind and I still need to finish up the next chapter- 
> 
> Anyways, thank you all so much for all your support and leaving me such lovely reviews and messages of support! I'm not going to lie, having this story in my brain has been INSANE and CRAZY and VERY UPSETTING at times, and it's felt good to share it with you all. It's nice that it's not all in my head now. Although I'm not going to lie, I am scared about some things that I have planned and how you all take it. But if you believe in me, I promise you...the story will end the way it deserves to end. 
> 
> Man, I love being cryptic :)

* * *

— _Before Aro arrived at the Cullen Residence_ —  
  
  
She hated doctors, she decided; she always had, and always will. Ramona’s doctors had chastised her for her entire life for being underweight, and she hated the shrinks that her mother encouraged her to see as a teenager to try and deal with her parent’s divorce. It always felt like doctors bullied you into doing something that you had no desire to do and could do it because they had a PhD next to their name.  
  
  
Carlisle Cullen was no exception to the rule, it turned out. She tried to whack the cursed white stick out of his hand when he tried to hand it to her and asked her to go to the bathroom. “Fuck _off_ ,” Ramona swore, glaring at the doctor. Doctor Cullen sighed.  
  
  
“Ramona, I took all of your vitals, took blood samples, and even did a throat culture to see if you have a flu. But honestly, _this_ is what I think you need to take—” he shoved the pregnancy test into her hand. “And avoiding it _isn’t_ going to make it better.”  
  
  
She scrunched her face at the pregnancy test. “I don’t know, avoiding this seems like the **_best_** idea I have right now.”  
  
  
“You said that you would take whatever test that I recommended without argument,” Carlisle reminded her, and he slowly guided her towards the bathroom. He was so gentle with her, she struggled because she wanted to hate him. “You take the test, I’ll call and email your work and give a damn good excuse for you being out of work for the next couple of weeks.”  
  
  
_Hmm, a little devious blackmail from the good doctor_ — _I’m impressed_ , she thought.  
  
  
She begrudgingly took the pregnancy test. It wasn’t the first time she had taken one, but she had hoped that she wouldn’t have had to take one for a while. Ramona and Aro had been careful, right? They used protection, he bought condoms—  
  
  
_Except for that night after the Nutcracker_ —her mind reminded her, and she groaned in frustration. _That_ stupid fucking night.  
  
  
After she peed on the plastic stick, she brought it out and sat it on the table, and she and Carlisle waited for the result to appear. Ramona tapped her hands on her knees and shook her legs, overwhelmed with anxiety. For what it was worth, Carlisle said nothing, just waited patiently until two pink lines appeared in the little circle.  
  
  
_Two_ pink lines.  
  
  
**_Motherfucker_** —  
  
  
“But—but we used condoms,” she said herself, as if that would change everything.  
  
  
Carlisle seemed regretful. “That…is _good_. But Ramona, there is _really_ no evidence that they would be effective. Or any birth control for that matter; vampire-human sexuality is not a particularly substantive topic that I have a lot of information on.” He looked generally curious now, as if he was interested in studying and learning about a new topic of health and medicine that he knew nothing about. “Were you using protection _every_ time?”  
  


_No_ —she didn’t want to admit it out loud though.   
  


Ramona tried to think of something to say. She looked at the doctor awkwardly. “Can I…can I take another test? Just to make sure it’s not defective?” she asked. Please, _let_ it be defective… _please, please, please_ —

  
“It is not,” Carlisle said slowly, his golden eyes watching her carefully. “You are pregnant. I could feel a second heartbeat when I checked your pulse…it’s barely there, and it is difficult to tell from just sound alone, but it is there. I just wanted to double check and have you take a test to make sure my intuition was correct.”  
  
  
Ramona, who was sitting on the exam table, leaned back and tried to keep herself grounded against the chair, and stared up at the ceiling. She didn’t feel like she was going to cry…or scream, or yell, or anything of the sort. She didn’t even feel _angry._ Ramona wasn’t sure _what_ she felt. She considered everything that was happening around her. She considered her situation…her broken, messed up relationship with Aro, her lack of steady employment, the potential ending to her ballet career, the fact that the child would be _half a vampire_ —  
  


“This is a fucking disaster.” she said to herself out loud. No disagreement came.   
  
  


* * *

  
  
Over a thousand years. That was how long Aro had lived upon the earth, and thirty nine of those years as a human, which he could barely recall. Despite the fact he was able to see memories of others thousands of years in the past as clear as day, his own were hazy. But when he entered into his vampiric existence, he had accepted things were going to be different for him for the rest of eternity, and that there were just some parts of life that would never be an option for him. One of those things, incidentally, was being a father.  
  
  
But then, one vampire coupled with a human and created a child and turned his world upside down, sideways, diagonal, then right side up again. And not only _that_ , but as if destined by fate, the world brought forth his mate. His _human_ mate. Who could conveniently bear him a child and create a family that he never thought he would be able to have in his existence.  
  
  
But _Ramona_ —his mate wasn’t happy about it. She didn’t share his feelings.  
  
  
Which created a bitter cast that made the news of her pregnancy not as positive an experience as he would have hoped for. And it made it difficult for him to find joy in the situation.  
  
  
He didn’t know what to say. Aro stared at Ramona’s bent forward form, her head in her hands as if she was trying to escape reality and disappear. Wordlessly, he lowered himself and sat next to her on the couch. He leaned back into the couch and looked up at the ceiling, as if it held the answers.  
  
  
Aro heard his friend’s footsteps approach them cautiously. He tore his eyes away from the ceiling; Carlisle appeared as put out as the two of them, if that was even possible. Ramona sat up and made a frustrated groaning sound.  
  
  
“So what does this mean, exactly, Carlisle?” Aro was the first to speak up. The doctor sighed, as if tired and looked at the pair.  
  
  
“By my estimation, Ramona is about one week pregnant…give or take a few days. It is hard to tell exactly, as this is not an exact science. Or at least, it would seem she is a week pregnant based on the rate of pregnancy that I witnessed for Bella. I don’t exactly have a large database to go off of, but Bella’s pregnancy progressed at a rapid rate, and she was in labor within three weeks time.”  
  


So they had two weeks. _Ramona_ had two weeks.  
  
  
“But,” Carlisle continued, “there are several complications that I am concerned about that I would prefer for Ramona to remain in my care for, just in case,” and then he looked at Ramona for her to say something. “That is, if you decide to go through with the pregnancy.”  
  
  
Ramona didn’t say anything to that, instead deciding to just nod quietly. Aro frowned and immediately grabbed her hand in support. She jerked it away. Aro pretended that he wasn’t bothered.  
  
  
“What _kind_ of complications are we speaking of, _precisely?_ ” he asked, wanting as much information as possible. The doctor looked at Ramona thoughtfully.  
  
  
“Well again, it’s not an _exact_ science, and I have no proof that Ramona’s pregnancy will be the same as Bella’s…there are too many variables. For all that I know, her pregnancy could look very different and she could experience _completely_ different systems from Bella. But the pregnancy was very difficult for Bella; her human body was rejecting the baby, and Renesmee was stealing nutrients from her, causing her body to deteriorate.” his voice was grave, unhappy.   
  


The doctor carried on with his analysis. “We ended up giving her donated blood to drink to help replenish her blood supply.. She survived, but just barely…I wasn’t there, and Edward had to perform an emergency c-section. Bella was injected with his venom before her heart completely stopped. She would not have survived otherwise.”  
  
  
His blatant, unfiltered doctor’s speech was in no way comforting to either Aro or Ramona; Aro had seen some of this in Edward’s memories, but Bella had survived. He had always thought everything would just _work out_ , however. After all, her sister had been fine—  
  
  
But now reality was setting in and it was _chilling_.  
  
  
“So I could die?” Ramona asked quietly, finally speaking up.  
  
  
Carlisle looked at her sadly. “There is always a chance with pregnancy, and unfortunately, history has not looked kindly on hybrid pregnancies. The ideal scenario is that we will be able to inject the venom and transform you before your heart goes out, like Bella.   
  


But—” he attempted to sound _somewhat_ encouraging, “again, this is guesswork. You could very well have an almost normal and very healthy pregnancy. And I will be here to monitor you the entire time.”  
  
  
“ _If I even decide to keep it_ —” Ramona muttered to herself. Carlisle’s eyes flickered to Aro to gauge his reaction. Aro said nothing for the moment. His anger and rage from before was all but forgotten; he was still processing the onslaught of dysregulating information the doctor provided, and the fact that she was _pregnant with his child._ Carlisle took advantage of the silence to speak again.  
  
  
“I also have some concern regarding Ramona’s size,” and with that she glared at him, and he tried to explain in a way that wouldn’t come across insulting, “Your frame is a lot smaller and leaner than Bellas, I worry about the toll a vampire hybrid could put on your body.”  
  
  
“You and me _both_ ,” she scowled, and she took the opportunity to give Aro her dirtiest look yet, as if just remembering that she was supposed to be furious with him. “ _Why are you still here?_ ”  
  
  
Aro blinked, and frowned at his mate’s confusing, shifting moods. “I—I would very much like to stay with you, carina. To make sure that you are okay.”  
  
  
“Carlisle is here, I’ll be fine,” she argued, and then she spoke with more venom. “I don’t _want_ you here. I don’t want to _look_ at you right now. Your face,” she gestured to him immaturely, “it _annoys_ me. Please leave.”  
  
  
The vampire king looked at his old friend for support, but Carlisle just shrugged, “Patient’s choice,” he said carefully. Aro growled in frustration at the situation. He hated the idea of leaving her.  
  
  
“Where am I supposed to go?” he asked her, not knowing the answer. Aro had nowhere else to go or anything to do in this godforsaken, miniscule town. Ramona shrugged.  
  
  
“Don’t know, don’t care. I am done with you for today.”  
  
  
_For today_. So he could come back tomorrow…Aro felt a little better at that. She wasn’t telling him that she never wanted to see him again. Ramona purposefully left the door open and he _knew_ it was because it wasn’t over between them. And she wasn’t able to let go of him just like he couldn’t let go of her—  
  
  
“I _will_ come by tomorrow,” Aro promised, but she didn’t look at him. Her arms were crossed and she was stubbornly trying to look anywhere but at him. _Well, this at least I am familiar with_ —Aro thought to himself. Taking a chance that she wouldn’t smack him in the face— _not that it’d_ ** _hurt_** _, but it would be rather embarrassing in front of Carlisle_ —he leaned forward and grabbed behind her head and gave her a quick peck against the side of the head. She moved her head a bit to the side, but she seemed too tired to put up a fight.  
  
  
Aro left the Cullen residence, eager to come back the next day and talk more with Ramona when she was hopefully in a more welcoming mood. But he wasn’t sure where to go with her right now—she was still angry with him, and it was obvious that she wasn’t about to let the pregnancy be a way for Aro to crawl back to her good side. That was okay though…things would be figured out between them, _somehow_.  
  
  
With nowhere else to go, he found himself returning to the small house that he was at hours beforehand, wanting to be somewhere that reminded him of Ramona. He stopped at a small liquor store beforehand and purchased a six pack of beers as a peace offering. As the door opened and revealed the irate police officer, he raised the six pack in surrender. “Can I come in?” he asked. The man glared at him, before his eyes searched behind him. He frowned.  
  
  
“Is Ramona still at the Cullens?” he asked. Aro nodded.  
  
  
“She isn’t feeling well…Carlisle suggests that she remain with him so that he can care for her if she needs it,” he explained, knowing it was vague and unlikely to satisfy the father, but unable to come up with any other excuse. Charlie immediately looked like he was going to punch him, and in a moment of self-reflection, Aro figured that he probably deserved it.  
  
  
“She isn’t feeling well,” Charlie repeated, coldly, and _suspiciously_ , like he knew there was something else that he wasn’t telling him. “And she can’t come home and rest it off?”  
  
  
Aro resented Carlisle and Ramona for putting him in this situation; he shouldn’t be _here_ , warding off questions from her father…he should be with his _mate_. Still, he supposed _someone_ had to say something to Charlie. Of course Mona was running away from that responsibility too—  
  
  
Charlie heaved a large sigh. “ _Why_ do I feel like I have **_been through this_** before?”  
  
  
From Edward’s memories, Aro knew that Charlie was aware of Renesmee’s existence, even if he wasn’t included in the details. Still…the man wasn’t a complete idiot.  
  
  
The police officer crossed his arms. “Well. Why aren’t _you_ at the Cullens?”  
  
  
“She doesn’t want me there.” He wasn’t going to lie. The father didn’t hide his amused, self-satisfied look of pleasure at that.   
  


Once again, Aro gestured to the beers in his hand. “I need somewhere to stay…I come in peace?” Her father didn’t look impressed by his selection— _Aro hadn’t drank alcohol in over a thousand years, and_ ** _never_** _beer_ —but he supposed beer was beer, because he nodded and, surprising both of them, let him inside the house.  
  
  
Aro followed the man into the kitchen, and Charlie grabbed a bottle opener from off of the refrigerator. He took one of Aro’s offered beers, looked at the odd brand skeptically, before muttering “ _fuck it_ ” and opening one for himself. He then opened a second bottle and extended it to Aro. He took it silently, and followed the human as he made his way to the back deck. It wasn't that cold out, and it was a clear night.  
  
  
Charlie took a swig of his beer before grimacing at the taste. “This tastes like shit,” he complained, but then he took another sip regardless. He looked at Aro expectantly.  
  


He took a sip of the offending liquid; her father was correct, it _did_ taste like shit, and Aro knew that he had the shorter end of the stick in regards to taste. His mouth would probably taste like dirt for the rest of the night.  
  
  
“You know, Mona started running away from home at eight years old. _Eight years old,_ can you believe it?” he shook his head, “Her mom called me at the station freaking out. Mona slipped past here while she was taking care of the new baby.”  
  
  
Aro hummed. “Not much has changed.”  
  
  
Charlie snorted. “That’s the fucking truth of it. That first time though, she was _so little_ —and I was scared _shitless_ ,” he admitted, “I thought to myself— ** _now_** _you’ve fucked it up, Charlie, here’s the moment when you’ve shown yourself as a failure of a father. Because you have_ ** _one job_** _as a father_ ,” he paused, “and that’s to _keep them safe, and you couldn’t even do that._ ”  
  
  
“You found her eventually,” Aro offered. He tried to imagine himself in that situation, his own child running away from home. It sounded irritating. And exhausting.  
  
  
“I did. And I don’t think she really _meant it_ , though, you know? That she _ever_ really means it. I think she just gets in her own way, and gets really overwhelmed in the moment and doesn’t know what else to do. Or—she doesn’t have the words to say what’s on her mind or what’s wrong, so she _shows us_ that something is wrong instead.”  
  
  
“I think she means it,” Aro muttered callously, thinking back to the cold words she threw at him earlier during their fight. “I think she means to make me as miserable as possible running after her.”  
  
  
Charlie grinned into his beer bottle. “ _Well_ , that’s probably true. But from what you said earlier, it sounds like you deserve it—”  
  
  
Aro hated to admit it, but he _did_ deserve it. He took another swig of his own revolting drink, effectively punishing himself.  
  
  
“—keep fucking things up and she’ll have you running after her for the rest of your life.”  
  
  
_The rest of his life.  
  
__  
_ Aro could only hope so.  
  
  
But right now, he wasn’t even sure if she wanted him after tomorrow.  
  
  
“I am going back tomorrow,” Aro mentioned. “She told me that I could.” _Well, more or less.  
  
_  
Charlie raised an eyebrow and finished the rest of his beer in one giant sip. “ _Welp_ ,” he grunted, and wiped his mouth. “Good luck with that.” He gave the vampire one last cautionary, dark look. “You can stay in Ramona’s room. Don’t do anything stupid.”  
  
  
He nodded, and followed the man up the stairs until he got to a bedroom in the furthest corner that was supposedly Ramona’s room. Aro opened the door to her bedroom, and he couldn’t stop himself from smiling as he studied the room and he felt that he was transported into her heart _far more_ than any instance of mind reading. Paintings that she made throughout her life were hung up all over the wall. He smiled at a painting she made of a cheetah; its eyes were too big for its face, its tail was too small, and it only had three toes on each paw. But it was made by Ramona, and so he liked it anyway.  
  
  
Finally, there was a picture of Ramona as a little child, small and round faced, with too large teeth and pigtails and big brown eyes, in the arms of her mother. He let himself imagine another carbon copy of the child, a girl that was small and sweet, with that same too-large teeth and crazy curly hair, but was _his and Ramona’s_. The child that was already tucked away safe and sound in her womb. The one that he thought that he would never get. 

* * *

After she had the most dramatic conversation of her entire life, Ramona wanted nothing more than to melt into the cushions of the couch and sleep off the chaos. Aro’s declaration of love towards her was making her head spin, and that, coupled with the sobering fact that she was pregnant, was making everything confusing.  
  
  
And it was _so embarrassing_ that the entire Cullen family knew about her pregnancy; thanks to fucking super vampiric hearing, _everyone_ heard her and Carlisle’s conversation after she took the test. They were trying to be kind and supportive, but they didn’t realize that this wasn’t _exactly_ exciting news for her. She wasn’t _Bella_ ; she didn’t have a supportive husband to lean on and create some cheesy, happy family. She had an Aro; a self-centered, arrogant, irritatingly gorgeous prick that played games with everyone around him until he got his own way.  
  
  
Ramona fell asleep on the couch that night, cuddling with Bella and watching some random Netflix documentary until she passed out. When she woke up in the morning, she was assaulted by the smell of greasy eggs and bacon. She took one look at the plate of food that was offered to her and turned away, her stomach becoming upset.  
  
  
Fortunately, her blond hero came to her rescue and appeared with a bucket, which she immediately vomited in. Doctor Cullen pressed a cool hand to her forehead, which she leaned into gratefully; it felt good and made her feel less sweaty. “Thanks,” she mumbled. Ramona took the bottle of water that he offered to her and began sipping it slowly.  
  
  
“Ramona,” Carlisle began carefully, trying to sound as gentle as possible. She hated it…she _knew_ that she wasn’t going to like whatever he was about to say. “We need to talk about your plans for this pregnancy….what decision you are going to make. You only have about two weeks left and at this rate, you will have just entered into your second trimester.”  
  
  
“I _know_ ,” she groaned. “I’ll let you know soon, I—I have to talk to Aro today.”  
  
  
Carlisle gave her a surprised look at that response. Ramona frowned instantly and tried to backtrack. “Not that—not that it makes a difference what he says or thinks, it’s _my decision_ , I just—”  
  
  
“You don’t have to explain yourself to anyone,” he counseled her, and left it at that. For which, she was incredibly thankful for.  
  
  
She didn’t have to wait long to have that discussion with Aro, however, as he arrived at the Cullen house bright and early, about less than an hour and a half later. Ramona _might_ have felt bad knowing that he was about to walk into a house full of a vampires who did _not_ like him, were it not for the fact that he deserved every single irritation that was coming to him. Her amusement increased tenfold from her sister’s family's _clear_ lack of respect.  
  
  
“ _Heyyyyy_ daddy-o,” Emmett’s booming voice greeted Aro at the door. She stole a glance at Aro; he did not look amused. Emmett laughed and moved aside to let him in. “Watch out for your baby mama, she’s upchucking **_everywhere_** —”  
  
  
“You did **_not_** just refer to me as his _baby mama_ —”  
  
  
Aro walked in past the hulking vampire and shrugged at Ramona. “I am unaware of what that expression even means.”  
  
  
“It means Emmett is dumb and immature,” she shot a dirty look at the giant forever-teenager that was grinning goofily at the two of them. Ramona didn’t appreciate being a spectacle, and she could tell Aro didn’t either. While the Cullens were making it seem like they were just taking part in their daily routine, she couldn’t help but feel like everyone’s focus was on them and what they were going to do or say. Even Bella and Edward, who were attempting to look busy by cooking breakfast for Renesmee, were doing a bad job of hiding their interest in Ramona and Aro.  
  
  
“Let’s…go for a walk,” Ramona decided, not wanting to talk to Aro in front of everyone. The group looked immediately concerned. Bella spoke up first.  
  
  
“Do you really think that’s a good idea?” she asked, eyeing the red-eyed vampire.  
  
  
Aro appeared affronted. “She was with me for over a month and she has been fine—”  
  
  
“ _Fine_ is not the word I would use to describe Ramona right now—” Edward jumped in.  
  
  
“Edward, _shut_ ** _up_** ,” she spoke up, annoyed how everyone was treating her like some fragile doll that needed to be protected. She looked to Aro. Despite everything he had done…she was not afraid of him. She gave one last glance to the Cullens. “We’re going out. And we’ll be back later.”  
  
  
She lowkey hated how _pleased_ Aro looked by this development, but she also enjoyed the flabbergasted expressions on the Cullens, so it balanced nicely. They left the house and Aro led her to a sleek black rental car and she got inside. _Finally_ , they were truly _alone.  
  
__  
_ Aro’s body shifted towards her in the driver’s seat and he reached out to carefully tuck a piece of hair behind her ear. “Ramona…” he started, his voice gentle, eyes soft, and his touch, while cold, felt nice against her skin. She bit her lip.  
  
  
“Just drive, Aro,” she told him. He sighed, and turned away from her. He put the shift in gear and began backing out of the driveway. “Where to?” he asked. She shrugged.  
  
  
“Doesn’t matter. Just drive around.”  
  
  
And they were off, and it felt _good_ to get away from everyone for a second. Aro drove through the small town of Forks, past the dense forests, into the small, buzzing town with large logging trucks and fish piers. Ramona looked out the window fondly; while she always wanted to leave this small town, there was a sense of nostalgia that would never go away.  
  
  
After a while, Aro finally spoke up. “How are you feeling?” Ramona considered the question; it was a lot more _loaded_ than he realized. But she knew he was inquiring about her physical health, and about the pregnancy.  
  
  
“I’m okay…still getting nauseous in the morning, and I have some heartburn,” she looked down at the small bump that was growing on her stomach. She frowned in annoyance. “And I’m getting fatter by the day.”  
  
  
Aro clicked his tongue and his eyes drifted from the road to her stomach. His gaze softened; he was giving her that familiar look of adoration she knew so well. “You look beautiful.” His compliment felt _true_ though, and it brought back that old butterflies flapping in her stomach feeling.  
  
  
_He loves you_ , her heart reminded her.  
  
  
But things were too complicated to let her slip back into that comfortable normalcy they shared not that long ago. Even though doing so would be _so easy.  
  
_  
“So you managed to get away from Volterra,” Ramona commented lightly, “Good for you. Although I’m surprised that Caius allowed you to leave. Especially just to come after your _little pet._ ”  
  
  
Aro snorted. “Caius is an imbecile. And I certainly do not need his _permission_ to leave Volterra,” his eyes glinted mischievously at her, “That is part of the perks of being a king.”  
  
  
Now it was her turn to roll her eyes. “Yes, you _certainly_ take advantage of that.” She thought about it. “Do you enjoy it?”  
  
  
“Enjoy what, cara mia?”  
  
  
“Being the leader,” she couldn’t imagine what it must be like, “Making up all the rules, enforcing them to your will. All that responsibility…and **_power_**.”  
  
  
He was quiet for a long time. Ramona thought that she might have offended him because it was unusually silent for him, and Aro loved nothing more than the sound of his own voice. He surprised her when he finally answered.  
  
  
“Yes and no. In many ways, I think we are a lot alike in respect to our jobs; I, too, have spent the majority of my lifetime in this role as leader of the Volturi. And I _do_ enjoy it. Perhaps it _is_ the power. Perhaps it is because I know that nobody else could be trusted to take my place, or do my job as fairly. In my power to reveal all of one’s memories, the truth will never be concealed against us,” he reached over and touched her cheek, “against my family.”  
  
  
And she knew that was true. For all of his flaws, Ramona could always tell that Aro valued the importance of family and his coven. And about the welfare of his kind.  
  
  
“You make it sound noble—”  
  
  
Aro chuckled, “Well, I am not trying to brag if that is what you think.”  
  
  
_You are always trying to brag_ , she thought to herself. “You hate the Cullens though,” at the mention of her sister’s coven, she could see him start to bristle. “Is it just because they have a different lifestyle, or is it something more?”  
  
  
Ramona knew the answer; she just wanted to see if he’d admit to it.  
  
  
“I will admit that I find their lifestyle _unnatural_ , but it is hardly a crime. Mostly—it was selfishness. Selfishness and desire. As a…collector of vampires with incredible abilities, I find myself frustrated with the coven’s great talents. And my inability to recruit them to the Volturi.”  
  
  
_He’s such a brat.  
  
_  
So much _drama_ , and all because he couldn’t add Bella or Alice to his collection. For a king, he was truly petty.  
  
  
A thought came to her all of a sudden; one that she had never had before, and had never even crossed her mind. “Do you think that I would have a special power? If I became a vampire…”  
  
  
Aro looked at her thoughtfully, but in a way that he had never looked at her before. He was _examining_ her, _studying_ her like a creature under a microscope. He was trying to pick her apart and see if there were any clues to whether or not she’d end up being special. She didn’t like it, but she didn’t move. She wanted to know what he thought—  
  
  
“Perhaps,” he finally uttered, but she could tell by his tone that he wasn’t particularly confident or enthused, “But that hardly matters, carina.” And then he _did it._ He reached over with his free hand and lightly touched her stomach. “Your gift to me is truly the most amazing of all.”  
  
  
It was the first time he touched her stomach, and that one action caused reality to once again come crashing down on her. Because this was _fucking real_ —she was _pregnant_ with Aro’s child. She felt her heart begin to pump quicker in her chest and she suddenly felt light headed. It was becoming harder to breathe.  
  
  
“You’re freaking out,” Aro said out loud, and she wanted to **_punch him_** — _fucking obviously she was freaking out._ His eyes glanced around them; they were about to head on the bridge that connected Forks to the neighboring beaches and reservations. “Should I turn back and take you to Carlisle?”  
  
  
“N-no,” she did not want to go back to that house just yet. It actually felt nice to go out for a drive and get away for a little while. When she realized where they were heading, she actually felt a little better. “There’s a beach up about a mile or so after the bridge. We can stop there.” He nodded and drove on until they reached one of the smaller beaches. Ramona got out of the car and kicked off her shoes. It was _freezing_ , but the sand felt nice on her feet.  
  
  
She heard him approach her from behind. Without saying anything, Aro removed his suit jacket and laid it on the sand behind her, spread out. Ramona lowered herself carefully to sit on it, and he joined right next to her. A huge wave rose and crashed into the sand in front of them. Ramona wiggled her toes into the sand to ground herself.  
  
  
“I don’t know if I can do this, Aro.”  
  
  
She was thankful for the tide; the ebbing and flowing water was keeping her calm through this conversation.  
  
  
“You can,” he insisted, “Mona, we will be—”  
  
  
“We will be _what_ _?_ Great parents?” she laughed bitterly, “ _No we won’t_ , Aro. We can barely get along with each other right now as it is.”  
  
  
“I was _going_ to say that we will be okay,” and then Aro’s voice got a slight edge to it, “And we get along with each other _just fine_. Everything was fine before you found out.”  
  
  
Ramona’s hackles rose instantly. “Everything was **_not fine_** _!_ Maybe for _you_. But I was apparently living a lie,” the more she thought about it, the worse it became. “How can we fucking add a baby into this dumpster fire? I wouldn’t wish us on our worst enemy.”  
  
  
Her vampire looked a bit offended. “We are not _that bad_ , carina.”  
  
  
“ _Yes we are_ ,” she stressed each syllable, “Aro, we _constantly_ fight—”  
  
  
“but—”  
  
  
“We have _so many fucking problems_. And that’s not fair. It’s not _fucking fair_ ,” her voice became louder, more aggressive. Like she was in a screaming match with the waves. “Parents—they fuck kids up when they aren’t right for each other. When they constantly fight, and argue—and they _think_ you don’t notice, but _you do._ And you see how miserable they are with each other, and they’re only staying together on your behalf. So you say to yourself, _fuck it_ — _I’ll leave, and then they’ll be able to move on, and it won’t be so horrible anymore._ But you’re just a kid, and you can’t run far enough away to fix everything.”  
  
  
Tears were beginning to form in her eyes, and they both knew that she wasn’t talking about the two of them anymore. Aro gently ran his fingers through her curls. It was sweet, and it was _too much_ for her to handle.  
  
  
“This is why I never fucking wanted kids. I—I got too much of my mom in me, I’m too selfish. I want—I want what I want, Aro. And we—we’re too unstable. We’d fuck them up.”  
  
  
“Stop running away from everything that is difficult that comes your way,” Aro argued. “You are _not_ ** _bad_** , and you are _not_ ** _selfish_**.”  
  


She took his hand in hers and willed him to understand. To understand that she was finally at a place of happiness in her life, that she didn’t want to change. That she wanted to continue dancing—she was _really_ looking forward to Coppelia. She wanted to dance it so badly, and wanted to perform in Italy _more than anything_. That she wanted to stay human—for a little bit longer, at least. There were so many things that she wanted to try, so many foods she wanted to eat, drinks she wanted to drink, fucks she wanted to have…Ramona wasn’t ready for it to be over.  
  
  
It settled on in Aro like a ton of bricks. “I am sorry, _amore mio_.” Slowly, Aro gathered her up in his arms and leaned her back against his chest. He was rock solid but she was grateful for the weight. He placed a kiss on the top of her head, and buried his face in her hair. “I am so, _so sorry._ ”

* * *

  
**Imma see you 'bout to catch these feelings-  
  
**

**Also you guys are ridiculous lol After last chapter, I think some of you are already picking out baby names and ready to help Aro decorate the nursery.  
  
**

**But they finally had a good conversation about everything that happened!!! And things maybe looking up? Except she still hates him? But they love each other so that means everything will be okay right? Do you all think everything will be okay?**


	27. Thump, Thump

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Everyone! Happy Friday!
> 
> To all of my American readers, I hope you have a happy Fourth of July tomorrow!!! I will be *social distancing of course* with my friends that I haven't seen in FOREVER. I hope you all have a good day and weekend. 
> 
> Enjoy this chapter! This chapter is kinda crazy and I hope that you like it. This story is a rollercoaster but it's a fun one, right? lol Thank you all for your lovely reviews and thoughts and ideas. It is so interesting to read what you all think might happen! Some of you thought of things that didn't even cross my mind, and they're super cool ideas. Hopefully you'll like (or at least not hate) where I'm taking this story. Also I want you to know, that I'm not a complete sociopath-yes I enjoy the drama very much, but I have good intentions in the end. You'll just have to trust me on this.

* * *

  
  
Aro couldn’t remember the last time that he was at a beach. Most beaches were hot and bright and sunny, and overall not good for vampires to go to without turning into a glittering nightmare. But he liked it, he realized, as he stared out into the vast ocean. _Carlisle had it right_ , he thought to himself, _I should get a private island_ .  
  


Ramona was lying comfortably in his arms, not saying a word, her eyes closed as she focused on listening to the crashing of the waves on the sand. She didn’t seem to notice, or care, but he laid his hand on her stomach, hoping to feel some movement from within. Aro wasn’t exactly sure how it worked, but he knew she was in her second trimester, and he figured that the child would be grown enough for him to feel by now. Or hear its heartbeat. But the heartbeat, though there, was still very faint.  
  
  
And in annoyance, he felt no small little kicks or nudges against his hand.  
  
  
 _Soon_ , he thought to himself. Perhaps he was too impatient.  
  
  
They were there for a few hours until Aro noticed that Ramona’s skin was starting to feel as cold as his own, and small snowflakes began to fall from the sky. He suggested that they get back to the car and she agreed, as they got up and dusted the sand off of themselves.  
  
  
On their way to the car, they were greeted by a group of young, tattooed, and shirtless men. Their scent was overwhelmingly _dog like_ , and he realized immediately that they were the shapeshifters from the trial. And they were walking towards him with angry looks on their faces. _Fuck_ , Aro thought as he analyzed the situation, _there’s too fucking many of them_ —  
  
  
Ramona seemed to know them though. Her face brightened and she gave them a grin. “Hey!” she greeted, totally unaware of how dangerous the situation truly was, “You guys are Jacob’s friends right? I’m Ramona, Bella’s sister.” Finally, when their expressions didn’t change and remained aggressive, she seemed to notice, “Is…is everything okay?”  
  
  
“You need to leave,” one of the boys told her. His dark eyes never left Aro, and the vampire was fighting every instinct to book it and run off. He didn’t want to unnecessarily frighten Ramona. Not when she was in such a delicate state.  
  
  
Ramona seemed to catch on that they were focused on Aro. She frowned at them, and then grasped Aro’s hand in hers. She squeezed it tightly. “We were just leaving now anyway—”  
  
  
She tried to move forward, but they blocked their way. One of the mutts _dared_ to put his hand on Aro’s chest. He held back a hiss. “Not him,” one of them said.  
  
  
“ _Fuck off_ —” was Ramona’s initial response.  
  
  
Aro tried to be diplomatic. “I am with the Cullens. I am not looking for any fights—”  
  
  
“Yeah, because you’d _lose_ ,” one of the younger boys laughed, “And you aren’t friends with the Cullens. Don’t think we don’t remember you, king bloodsucker.”  
  
  
He could hear Ramona’s heart beating faster as he felt her become more stressed. She cleared her throat. “He’s with me. And we _really_ have to get going—”  
  
  
It happened very suddenly, but one of the younger shapeshifters pushed against Aro, who in turn pushed the boy back _way farther_ , practically causing him to fly across the beach. Two of the shapeshifters reacted immediately and impulsively transformed into two very large, wolf-like beasts. Ramona screamed, and Aro thrusted her behind him, feeling an instinctual pull to protect her. The wolves were growling and snapping at them, and he could feel the terror radiating off of his mate.  
  
  
Aro watched as her own hand flew to her stomach on instinct. He heard her whispering “ _what the fuck”_ over and over again under her breath. One of the boys, a younger one who didn’t transform, spoke up against the rest of his group. “Hey guys—maybe we should wait for Jacob,” he tried, speaking up timidly, “after all, this does involve the Cullens, she’s Bella’s sister—”  
  
  
“ _Yeah_ , and he’s a bloodsucking, human killing monster,” one of the other men growled, and the transformed wolves snapped their jaws in agreement. Aro stared at the sharp teeth; they were practically as large as his face, and could easily rip him apart. He hated feeling not in control. “We should protect her from him.”  
  
  
“I don’t need your protection,” Ramona spoke up, finding her courage. She looked the youngest boy in the eye. “Seth right? I remember you. Get Jacob, **_now_**.”  
  
  
“You don’t get to boss him around—” and one of the men began to turn threatening towards her. The wolves growling intensified; Aro held her closer to his body.  
  
  
Ramona wasn’t having it though.  
  
  
“ _And you’re_ ** _threatening_** _us like a bunch of unstable, bad mannered_ _hounds_ —”  
  
  
It was then that the larger of the two wolves lunged at the pair, and Aro grabbed Ramona and pushed her out of the way as he quickly grappled with the wolf, jumping away from it to avoid its jaws. He watched her stumble a bit backwards, but she managed to catch herself just in time. She screamed loudly and the other wolf looked like it winced at the loud sound and _snapped_ at her—  
  
  
Within seconds, the young boy named Seth transformed into his wolf form and jumped in front of Ramona to protect her from the wolf. But he got too close to her, and his large tail _whacked her in the stomach_.  
  
  
She let out a big “ _oof_ ” and jumped back in surprise. In an uncharacteristic show for the usually graceful ballerina, she slipped on her back leg, and fell to the ground in a clumsy thud.

  
Ramona hissed in pain, “Fucking _ouch_ ,” she groaned, as she began rubbing her back.  
  
  
Aro immediately ran to her, and crouched next to her. The boys appeared a bit concerned but he hissed at them when they attempted to come closer. Aro took in Ramona’s form…she didn’t appear _too harmed_. But still—  
  
  
 ** _He was pissed_**.  
  
  
The vampire was about to attempt to rip off the heads of three **_very dead_** werewolves when the youngest one let out a large howl, which echoed through the air for miles and miles until it reached its intended target. It was only moments before the pack leader arrived at the scene; another young boy, but this one looked less cocky and arrogant than the others. The leader took in the chaotic group: the threatening stances of his packmates, three transformed wolves, a red eyed vampire, and a small, dark haired girl on the ground, wincing in pain. But it seemed that the leader recognized her.  
  
  
“Ramona?” he looked at her in concern. His eyes then traveled to Aro, and there was recognition there as well. “ ** _You_**.” he snarled, which caused the rest of the wolves and pack to snarl and look at Aro in distrust as well. But then he seemed to notice how close they were, and how Aro was wrapping his arms around her, and how she clung to him…and the small, barely noticeable bump on her usually flat stomach. Aro watched as the wheels began turning in his head as he processed what he saw. Jacob gave the most exasperated, frustrated sound of all time.  
  
  
“Ramona, _you didn’t_ —”

  
“She has been hurt by your pack,” Aro growled out, glaring at the pack leader that arrived too late to take control of his unruly pack of dogs, “they caused her to fall.”  
  
  
The youngest wolf that accidentally hit her with his tail began to whine sadly. Aro glared at it. Ramona pulled a face, and attempted to get up. Aro easily got her righted up, his hand on the small of her back to help keep her wobbly legs steady. “Aro, it was an accident—” she began to say, ready to forgive the wolf. He scowled— _she never forgave_ ** _him_** _that easily and quickly._ He made a face at Ramona to let her know that he was not pleased.  
  
 _  
_Jacob continued to stare at the small bump in her stomach as if it was particularly offensive. “Ramona, what the hell _did you do_ —”  
  
  
“We aren’t talking about that right now!” she snapped. It seemed that she gained back some confidence from the presence of the pack leader. Ramona glared and gestured to the pack around them. “Jacob, you need to call off your mutts.”  
  
  
There was an uproar of angry, offended protest in response to that word, and the wolves bared their teeth threateningly at her. A deep, threatening growl rumbled in the pit of Aro’s chest as he glared at the wolves. Carefully and without getting her upset, Aro slowly touched her arm and guided her back towards him until her back was pressed against his chest. He touched her stomach once again. _Finally_ , he felt that little _thump thump_ from inside once again. Reality shifted in that moment and Aro knew he was going to do _anything_ to keep Ramona and that small little thumper alive and safe.  
  
  
She touched his hand. _Please_ ** _calm down_** —her mind pleaded with him— _For me. This is so stressful, I just want to leave_ —  
  


“He’s in our land,” Jacob said simply, as if that were cause enough for the pack to act like a bunch of wild animals, “any bloodsucker in our land faces the consequences.”  
  
  
“He _didn’t know_ —”  
  
  
“Clearly this has been a misunderstanding,” Aro reasoned smoothly, hoping that he could get the two of them out of this situation without his head being gnawed off by one of the mongrels. He would be begrudgingly calm and diplomatic if that’s what she wanted, and if that caused her less anxiety. “The Cullens did not inform us of this information. But Ramona and I were just on our way back anyway. She is not feeling well and I would like to get her to Dr. Cullen as soon as possible.”  
  
  
Jacob’s expression got darker, if that was possible. “No, I’d say she isn’t well _at all_.” He stared at her stomach in disgust. Ramona bristled underneath him.  
  
  
“Let’s not talk about her like she’s not here,” she bit out, growing increasingly offended by the second. “I’m _fine_. Or at least I will be once I leave. Once _both_ of us leave.” She said pointedly, and as if to stress her point, she squeezed Aro’s hand in hers. He was surprised but didn’t argue against it…it seemed that she was willing to let go of her anger towards him at the moment if that meant saving face in front of the group of boys in front of her. _Such a stubborn, silly girl_ , the vampire thought to himself.  
  


“If you hunt in our territory, you’re dead.” Jacob glared at the red eyed vampire.  
  
  
To the disappointment of the rest of the pack, Jacob let them go, but not without muttering one last thing to Ramona. “You don’t know what you’re doing—” The look the wolf leader gave to Aro was one of hatred, and the vampire thought bitterly— _don’t you worry wolf, she hates me almost more than anybody else._ But his little ballerina constantly surprised him, and everybody around her.  
  
 _  
_She shrugged. “Does anybody?”  
  


* * *

Ramona decided that she should just start believing in everything, instead of disbelieving in things until she saw evidence. Because if this last month proved anything, it was that literally anything could be possible, and she was ready to cast all doubt to the wind and subscribe to every single crazy conspiracy theory out there.  
  
  
 _At this point, mom’s probably a witch and Charlie’s in the Illuminati_ —  
  
  
Seeing a bunch of boys that she slightly remembered from her childhood turn into giant, slobbering wolves was not what she was expecting out of their little day trip. Aro and her actually had a pretty good conversation— _she didn’t even shout at him all that much_ —although, she was no closer to have any clarity about her situation. He wanted the baby. And she…well, the jury was still out, but…if she had the baby, she’d have to be transformed into a vampire. Give up her humanity.  
  
  
She _did_ love Aro. Despite everything. Maybe even enough to give up her humanity. But—she thought she’d have more time.  
  
  
But she _didn’t_. If she kept it, she’d have two weeks. Two weeks left of humanity, and she wouldn’t even be able to enjoy them the way she would’ve wanted.  
  
  
Ramona idly ran her fingers down her stomach. She hadn’t felt any movement at all, despite her already being in her second trimester. But when the wolves lunged for Aro…it was as if it was trying to kick her awake, reminding her that ‘ _hey, I’m in here’_ and telling her to watch out. Her own heart was pumping wildly as it was, but the little kicks inside her just made her entire body feel like it was jumping out of itself.  
  
  
Now that they were in the car driving away from the chaotic scene, the kicks stopped and she felt her body begin to regulate. Ramona glanced down; her other hand was still tightly grasping Aro’s, never having let go. Aro didn’t say anything though; she could see the twitching of his jaw and the tightening of his hand on the steering wheel. They were driving back to the Cullen’s at a dangerously fast speed. He was _angry_ …he didn’t even look over at her, and his silence spoke more than anything. She knew better than to talk to him when he was like this. She hadn’t seen him this angry since the night of Swan Lake—  
  
  
Aro slammed the door behind him and pulled her along with him when they reached the house. The vampire greeted his old friend angrily, “Your mutts threatened us.” he scowled. Ramona rolled her eyes, when had they become _the Cullen’s_ mutts?  
  
  
“ _Technically_ , they were just threatening you,” she corrected him. “But _I_ got the lovely traumatic experience of seeing a bunch of guys transform into slobbering wolves, so there’s that—”  
  
  
“Mona **_fell_** ,” Aro interrupted, seething. “She needs to be looked at.”  
  
  
“Aro’s being dramatic—I’m _fine_ ,” she tried to argue. It wasn’t _that bad_ , she had taken much worse falls and tumbles during ballet rehearsals. The amount of times that she’d been dropped would take more than two hands to be counted. She didn’t even get the wind knocked out of her, she just landed on her tailbone like an idiot. “He’s being overprotective—”  
  
  
Carlisle frowned at the pair. “Well…it wouldn’t hurt to check on you, just in case—” he looked at Ramona, “You’re due for another ultrasound anyway. I’m concerned you’re looking a little paler than before and I want to take a look at that placenta, to see if it is absorbing all of your nutrients away from you like what happened to Bella.”  
  
  
She sighed and nodded, and he brought them to the back of the house where he kept a home office. Ramona took a seat on the exam table in his makeshift doctor’s office. She looked around the room at all of the different machines and tools that he had; not that she was complaining, as it was terribly _convenient_ , but she did think it was a bit odd he had his own office at his house. She shifted, trying to get comfortable. She propped her feet up on the stirrups.  
  
  
Carlisle fiddled with a bunch of machines and turned on his laptop and a television screen so that she could see what was on it. She lifted her t-shirt and unbuttoned her jeans, shimmying them a little bit down her hips. He nodded in approval, “Alright, so I’m going to put some of this gel on your stomach, it’s a little cool but it helps the ultrasound waves go in so we can get a clearer picture of your uterus.”  
  
  
He squirted a blue gel on her stomach and she flinched at the coolness of it. She looked up at Aro, who was watching along in interest. Carlisle then took a grey probe and began to press it lightly against her in slow, circular motions. As he zeroed in on it, he looked up at the screen and Ramona and Aro followed his glance.  
  
  
 _There it was.  
  
_  
It was kind of hard to see at first. But then as he circled around a bit more, the picture became clearer and she was able to take in more features of the fetus. Its big head, the small hands with the tiny little fingers…  
  
  
“ _Eccola,_ _è così magnifica_ ,” Aro whispered next to her, staring at the screen in wonder.  
  
  
Ramona swallowed nervously.  
  
  
“How….” she stared, feeling anxious. Her heart was beating so fast and she could barely focus. “How does everything look?” She wasn’t even sure what she was asking, what she _meant_ by that…Carlisle didn’t seem bothered though. While Aro and Ramona were looking at the screen with wide eyes and open mouths, he had the look of a man who had seen many of these. The doctor had a studious expression on his face, examining the picture. She wondered what he was seeing that she couldn’t…the picture didn’t give away anything to her other than that the fetus had a large head and a normal amount of finger digits.  
  
  
Aro frowned. “Carlisle, is something wrong?”  
  
  
The doctor continued to look at the screen. “There is a small tear in the placenta, but it is not overwhelmingly concerning.” He tried to sound reassuring, “This can actually be very common in a lot of first pregnancies…and with your complications, it’s not necessarily surprising. We will just have to monitor it—” and then he stopped, as if realizing that he was crossing some invisible barrier, “—that is, if you still want—”  
  
  
“ _Stop_ ,” she interrupted him, and she tore her eyes away from the screen and put her hands to her face. As if that would shield her from reality. “I—I don’t want to talk about this right now.”  
  
  
“Ramona, you don’t have a lot of time left—”  
  
  
“ _I_ ** _know_** ,” she was beginning to have a headache and wanted nothing more than to get out of the bright, white sterile looking doctor’s office. She wanted to crawl under a warm blanket and relax for the rest of the night. To sleep off the chaos of what had happened earlier.  
  
  
Doctor Cullen attempted to persuade her once again and Aro growled deep in his chest, a warning side to the other male to leave her alone. He touched her cheek gently, and she relished in his cool touch. And at the moment, the fact that she didn’t have to say anything for him to know what she was thinking. “She wants to go home tonight,” Aro told Carlisle, “Perhaps she will be okay to go home for one night?”  
  
  
Carlisle thought about it. He took one final look at the screen, and then at Ramona, and then grabbed a small cloth for her to wipe her stomach with. As she did so, he clicked off the screen and the image of the little human went away. He considered her. “She will probably be fine for one night,” he decided, and she smiled brightly at the news, “But she should _rest._ Lay down and _relax_ for the night,” he gave Aro a _look_ , and then continued, “After, I would like for her to stay here for the most part, to make sure that nothing happens.”  
  
  
Ramona nodded enthusiastically, and she hopped off the table the second the doctor was done with her. As Carlisle was cleaning up the rest of the room, the two of them left the office and wandered about the house looking to say goodbye to her sister before she left to go back to Charlie’s. Back to Charlie’s…together. An unspoken agreement between the two of them. Ramona didn’t want to say it out loud, but she wanted him with her tonight. _She just had a_ ** _feeling_** — _something_ told her that she needed him with her tonight. By her side, all night.  
  


Finally, they followed the sound of delightful screams and giggles to the other side of the house. They opened the door to the back porch to find Edward, Bella, and Renesmee, playing in the snow and throwing snowballs at each other. Renesmee’s laughter was like tinkling bells, and Aro and Ramona watched as she jumped playfully in the snow. Her giggles were infectious and her parents were laughing along with her, and it was the kind of moment that you’d seen in a sappy Hallmark channel movie that Ramona just hated.  
  
  
But Bella looked so happy…they _all_ looked so happy—

  
Aro was watching the family with a somber expression on his face, and Ramona knew it was because he was wondering if that would ever be him. Her heart ached for him, and she did long to make him happy…as happy as Bella, and Edward, and Renesmee—  
  
  
The little kicker from earlier chose that moment to make its arrival again. She looked down at her stomach in exasperation. “ _I think you know what you’re doing_ ,” she said softly, a small smile forming on her lips. Aro looked over at her curiously. Wordlessly, she grabbed his hand and put it on her kicking stomach.  
  
  
His eyes destroyed her— _he was so in love.  
  
_ _  
_She knew that she had no other decision. Even though she wasn’t confident that it was the right one. And then her mind explored the possibilities, as well as what she wanted to do during the remainder of her human life. _  
_

* * *

When they finally arrived back at Charlie’s, Ramona was pleasantly surprised that Charlie wasn’t home and they had the house to themselves. She grabbed her bag of leftover thai food— _she was going to have as much of the food that she enjoyed as she could before she could never enjoy it anymore_ —and stuffed it in the refrigerator. She forced Aro to take her to her favorite Thai restaurant and made him watch her as she ate spicy pad thai and numerous spring rolls until she was pleasantly stuffed. _Kicker liked it too_ —she thought, as she held Aro’s hand after consuming all of the food. He flashed her a large, happy grin.  
  
  
Ramona noticed his eyes were dark though…almost onyx. She felt somewhat bad.  
  
  
“You’re going to need to eat soon yourself,” she commented airily. He huffed.  
  
  
“Don’t you worry about that—” he insisted, and then he lifted her up in his arms as easily as ever before, holding her tight to his body as he carried her up the stairs to her bedroom. He placed her lightly on her bed, and she snuggled into the mattress, pressed up against the warm, soft comforter. He threw off his jacket and climbed on top of her, each leg on either side of her body. She began to have a giggling fit.  
  
  
“What’s so humorous, carina?” he grinned, as he leaned down to place a light kiss on her exposed neck. Ramona looked around the room.  
  
  
“We’re about to make out in my childhood bedroom,” she giggled, the absurdity of the situation becoming more and more apparent as she stared at the girlish pink walls and the paintings she made when she was seven years old. “We’re like teenagers…we snuck back in the house when my dad’s not home and we’re making out in my bedroom—”  
  
  
“ _You’re thinking too much about it, amore mio_ ,” he whispered in her ear, and he placed another kiss on her neck. “Close your eyes, Mona,” Aro whispered, and she obeyed, closing her eyes and losing one of her senses, but gaining her others _brilliantly._ When they were like this, she could hear every sound better, every touch felt more sensitive…  
  
  
She couldn’t see him, but she felt his lips, cold and soft and plush, against her own. He bit her lower lip playfully and she opened up, allowing him access into her hot mouth, his tongue exploring and dancing against her own. His hand found its way to her breast, which he gave a tight squeeze and she moaned into her mouth, the vibration of her tongue against his sending them both.   
  


“ _Relax_ ,” he murmured, leaving her lips and beginning to plant kisses down her chin, to her neck. He slowly lifted her shirt up and began to trail kisses down her breasts, to her stomach, and downwards—every cool kiss leaving goosebumps on her skin and heightening every single one of her senses. Ramona wondered if where this was leading would be a good idea. Aro shushed her. “Let me take care of you.”  
  
  
Ramona wasn’t sure how long he spent going down on her—she was _so exhausted_ from the events earlier, and from their argument the other day, and from the stress over the pregnancy that she could barely keep track of time anymore. But somehow, it felt like _hours._

  
She wasn’t sure if it was because it felt like _so long_ since they’d been intimate, but Aro had certainly taken his sweet time _taking care of her_ and seemed to enjoy every second of it just as much as she did. His head stayed in between her thighs for hours as his tongue, soft and wet and _oh so perfect_ , worked miracles on her pussy.  
  
  
He was so gentle, each stroke of his tongue gliding against her wetness as he took his time tasting every part of her. “ _Ahh_ ** _yes, Aro, pleaseeeee_** —” she mewled softly, as he reached that special spot and continued caressing it with his tongue until she orgasmed, hard and tight and drawing forth every last ounce of strength in her pelvic muscles as they contracted.  
  
  
Aro just sucked on and tasted every last drop from her and _continued_ through the throbbing. At some point, Ramona began to drift away as he lazily explored her, and she fell asleep, only to be awoken a few times when his tongue flicked her clit or when he began sucking so hard she orgasmed. This continued for hours, until she eventually just passed out, falling into a deep sleep where she didn’t have to think about _anything.  
  
  
_

* * *

  
  
The sun was still setting in the sky when he began to go down on her, and when he finally finished, it was completely out and the night sky was pitch black. But Aro knew that Ramona could easily get mad at him at any moment, or find a reason to refuse him, or decide that she hated him again, so he had to take advantage of _every single moment_ he had when she wanted him. He might have gone a **_bit_** _overboard,_ but she certainly didn’t complain, and it had been so long since he tasted her sweetness on his lips. Plus she asked _so prettily_ —it wasn’t often that she said _please_ , and how could he refuse her?  
  
  
Ramona was **_his_** again. And everything was going the way he wanted it.  
  
  
In a twist of fate, the arrival of those mutts might have actually _helped him_ , if possible—she was so concerned about him, about his safety, and about saving face in front of them…that it brought her back to his side. The look of disapproval from the pack leader, the admonishment, the condescending stare at her stomach—his human _hated_ being judged for anything. She hated when people had strong opinions on something that had to do with her…something that was her decision, and when they acted like she was making the wrong choice.  
  
  
So of course, she doubled down on her love for Aro and _finally_ considered the possibility of keeping the baby in her belly. And now it seemed like she made her decision.  
  
  
Aro couldn’t have been more **pleased**.  
  
  
Finally, his mate fell asleep, and he knew he would have to end soon because the call of her sweet blood was almost becoming too much for him to bear. It had taken a long time, but he had gotten so used to Ramona that he was no longer so tempted by her blood. His throat was starting to burn a bit, however, and he knew it wasn’t the best idea to have his tongue down inside of her when he was starting to feel thirsty.  
  
  
Aro covered her with a blanket and kissed her head as she snoozed soundly. He heard the calm gentle waves of her heart, steady and solid, as well as the little _thump, thumps_ from earlier. He smiled at the thump, thump—his little one’s heartbeat was light; a gentle, slow pulsing sound, but it was still there all the same.  
  
  
The burning in his throat shook him out of his gazing, and he growled in frustration, knowing that he would have to feed and soon. Just because he had good self control for Ramona, didn’t mean that it held true for others, and her father would be home soon.  
  
  
He thought about the threat that the wolves made earlier— _hunt in our territory and you’re dead._ Aro wanted to be back as soon as possible, but he didn’t want to cause a fuss either. He wasn’t sure how large their territory went though. Was it just Forks? All of Washington? Did it carry on to multiple states?  
  
  
The vampire was fairly certain that the border was not too far from where they were, and he would be able to make it to British Columbia in a matter of hours. He was also fairly certain that the pack’s territory would not have crossed the international border, and he’d even go a little further up into Canada to make sure he didn't _step on any tails._  
  
  
Aro gave Ramona one last kiss, and touched her stomach, his hand waiting to feel a little kick against it. He waited a few moments but there wasn’t any movement. Aro sighed in annoyance, before he figured that maybe the baby slept when the mother slept. He pressed a kiss onto her stomach, and left them sleeping silently and peacefully in her childhood bed.  
  


* * *

**Italian Translation:**   
  


**_Eccola,_ _è così magnifica - "There she is, she is_ ** **_magnificent."  
  
_ **

* * *

**  
****I couldn't help it- it's been like, six chapters since they were last together. It's been far too long!!! I wanted them to be together again so here lol  
  
And now Aro is off in Canada, and Ramona is alone, and that always ends good right? Right?**

**Also don't you worry - we will find out how Volterra is going and George is doing and all of that again, eventually.**

**BTW, I want you to know...anything that you thought about, and you were like, hm, she hasn't mentioned that in a long time, or huh that story line went nowhere....it didn't go nowhere. It's there. I haven't forgotten- don't you worry. EVERYTHING comes back, eventually.**

**Cheers and have a good weekend! <3**


	28. What They Wanted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter - 
> 
> I have no words really right now. I'll talk more down below after you finish the chapter.
> 
> I struggled a bit with this chapter for several reasons, as I am sure you will understand. But I also wanted to make sure I was as accurate as possible, so I tried to do a lot of research and I hope that I'm not completely off baseline and I hope I do not offend anyone. Although since this is fantasy, I think there is a little bit of leeway I have when it comes to different things, so hopefully that makes sense. 
> 
> Anyways, here it is. 
> 
> Love you all.

* * *

Aro made his way back across the United States border, having slipped past it to get into Canada so that he could hunt in peace, without fear of his body being ripped apart by a bunch of drooling, angry beasts. He was not used to this lifestyle—he had been delivered his meals by Heidi’s daily fishing for _hundreds of years_. He didn’t often have to go out and actually hunt and find his prey. It was rather annoying, especially as every single girl that looked like his _usual prey_ reminded him terribly of Ramona, and he couldn’t go through with it. He ended up picking off some random man in the middle of an alley, and he must have been **_thirsty_** because the drunk’s blood tasted so much more rich and sweet and satisfying than he thought possible.  
  
  
He was eager to get back to Ramona. Although he was certain that she would be safe and sound in her childhood home, he couldn’t help but think back to the last time that she was left alone—when _Caius_ had come in and threatened her, causing her to run away. Not that he was particularly concerned that his brother would be in Forks, but…now he _really_ ** _hated_** leaving her alone.   
  
  
Aro raced back to the house, expecting to see his mate still snoozing peacefully. Her father’s police cruiser was still not in the driveway, but he figured that the man was likely working an overnight shift. _Which was more than okay with him_ —Aro would definitely not complain about some extra alone time with his mate.   
  
  
As the vampire glided up the stairs towards her bedroom, a familiar scent that he knew _all too well_ overwhelmed his nostrils and his senses, and he stepped back in shock. It was **_so much_** —way too powerful, and even though he had just drank his weight in drunk Canadians, his throat scorched angrily at the intrusion. It burned, tightening unbearably and he felt the venom in his body flare in hunger. _But why_ —  
  
  
**_No.  
  
_** ** _  
_**_No, no, no, no, no_ —  
  
  
Aro practically kicked the door to her bedroom down and again was hit with the head spinning scent of blood… _a lot of blood_ …and he looked in to see Ramona curled up, sleeping in her bed. Which was **_covered_** in blood.  
  
 _  
_ He rushed to her and tried to shake her awake; she was writhing in pain, her forehead was sweaty, and her entire bottom half practically covered in blood…most of it _caked_ into the sheets, like it started to happen hours ago while he was away.  
  
  
Aro cursed internally— _I shouldn’t have left.  
  
_ _  
_ Ramona looked so pale. “Mona! Mona, **_wake up_** ,” he commanded, and he picked her up in his arms. She was cold, almost as cold as himself, and he gathered her up in the bedsheet and wrapped it around her. He ignored the overwhelming scent of her blood, and was thankful that he had already fed so that he didn’t hurt her. _Although perhaps this wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t left her_ —the blame weighed down on him.   
  
  
Her eyelashes were fluttering and her heartbeat was thrashing, so he knew that she was at least alive. He heard her whisper his name but she was unable to say anything else, and he cursed angrily, cursing every god and devil known to man for what was happening. Unable to fix the problem himself, and with nothing else to do, Aro rushed over to the Cullen residence, to Carlisle, to save his mate. To save _Ramona_.   
  
  


* * *

She was in _pain._ Ramona wasn’t quite sure when it started, or how long she was in pain for, but her lower back was _killing her_ and her abdomen was cramping worse than ever before. She was sweaty, but cold…and she couldn’t quite understand how she could simultaneously feel like she was on fire and freezing at the same time.  
  
  
At some point, Ramona tried reaching out for Aro, but felt nothing as her fingers just grasped at empty bedsheets. She called out for him, a broken, strangled sound because her throat was dry and she was thirsty. So thirsty, like her body was telling her that she needed to absorb _something_ —  
  
  
Ramona briefly wondered if she was dying.   
  
  
She slipped in and out of consciousness, drifting to sleep when the pain became too unbearable to remain awake. Absentmindedly, she noticed a wetness down between her legs. _Did my water break_ —she wondered to herself, her mind too hazy and too exhausted to make any sense of what was happening.   
  
  
At the tail end of a painful cramp, she vaguely heard a male voice shouting her name. Her eyelashes fluttered as she tried to open her eyes. “Aro?” she whispered. She opened her eyes but everything was so _blurry_ and she couldn’t make out the person in front of her, but _somehow_ , she knew it was him. She felt dizzy, and it didn’t help that he let out a violent string of Italian curses that she was too tired to translate in her muddled brain.  
  
  
Cool wind felt nice on her skin as he must have rushed her outside of the house into the brisk January air. It was also nice to be in his arms…Aro was so _strong_ , and solid, and Ramona felt safe in his arms, like nothing could happen to her when she was with him. She realized that he must have left her at some point— _maybe he went hunting_ —and that was when the bad stuff started to happen. But now he was back—and, and…everything would be **_okay.  
  
_**  
It all happened in a flash, and Ramona really couldn’t make sense of it all. But she was then in a warm house, and Aro was carrying her and there was a lot of noise and commotion that she could barely understand. Her vision was slowly returning, and she realized she was in Carlisle’s home office. She blinked up at Aro, who was currently removing a blood soaked sheet away from her body.  
  
  
**_Blood soaked.  
  
_**  
Ramona became _sobered_ as reality crashed down on her and she looked down at her lower body; Aro was working on removing her bloodied sweatpants and panties from her legs. She let out a whimper, and Aro’s eyes met hers for the first time as he realized she had awoken.  
  
  
His red eyes stared up at her wide, and scared, and in shock. “ _Mona_ ,” his voice was broken, and he stopped what he was doing immediately to touch her face. She trembled.  
  
  
Carlisle was firing up the ultrasound machine and began to take her blood pressure, as his first focus was making sure she was okay. “BP is 180/120, that is _dangerously_ elevated,” he said to himself, concerned. He immediately grabbed an IV and worked it into her wrist. “She needs more fluid—”  
  
  
“Her bleeding stopped,” Aro mentioned, looking down between her legs. She felt sick when she thought of what she must look like down there.   
  
  
“Is that a good thing?” she asked weakly. She realized, in that moment, that she literally knew _nothing_ about pregnancy or childbirth. Most women had nine months to read up and prepare for this. She had less than a week since she had found out. And she knew Aro probably knew even less than her—  
  
  
Ramona placed a hand on her stomach and felt a sense of dread. She realized, in horror, that she hadn’t felt the baby move. Wide eyes stared up at Aro in fear.  
  
  
“Can—can you hear the heartbeat?” she asked softly. Aro’s expression changed, a look on his face that clearly suggested that he had forgotten to check for that. The vampire frowned in concentration, and then he looked alarmingly at Carlisle. She felt a stab in the gut as she saw the sad expression on the doctor’s face. He held the ultrasound doppler in his hand awkwardly.  
  
  
“I will still do an ultrasound,” Carlisle told them, “Just—just to see what’s happening.”  
  
 _  
Just to see what’s happening_ —Ramona wanted to scream, the dreaded ache in her chest knew it would be a fruitless effort, and the ultrasound just confirmed what they all already knew. She looked up at the black and white screen; the baby looked the same as yesterday, with a big head…small little fingers and toes. But this time—the baby was unmoving, no longer wiggling around inside of her, and no heartbeat fluttering inside its chest.  
  
  
She just stared at the screen.  
  
  
It felt like forever, but her eyes never left it.  
  
  
Because that little kicker was _hers…her and Aro’s_ —  
  
  
And she had **_just_** decided that she wanted to keep it, and now—  
  
  
Ramona was unable to control the tears that ran down her face, and she let out a loud, broken sob that shook her entire body. She looked up at Aro; he was staring at the ultrasound picture as well, at their child. She couldn’t identify the emotion on his face; it was blank, unmoving. His entire body was frozen in place and he made no move to comfort her as she cried. Which, in turn, made her cry harder.  
  
  
Carlisle glanced at the couple sadly. “I am so, so sorry—”  
  
  
“ ** _How did this happen_**.” came the angry growl, and Ramona brushed her tears aside to see Aro staring at the doctor with a look of rage. Like he was going to _kill him.  
  
_ _  
_ “She had a placental abruption,” the doctor explained, “This happens when the placenta detaches from the uterus, which causes the blood vessels to bleed and the baby is unable to take any oxygen from the mother.”  
  
  
_It_ ** _suffocated_** —she thought in horror. Aro remained incensed.  
  
  
“You said that she had a small tear but that it was non-concerning—”  
  
  
“ _It was_ —at the time,” Carlisle tried to explain to the increasingly agitated vampire, “I would have diagnosed that as a Grade 1 tear…there were no signs of fetal distress and she looked okay, and generally we just prescribe monitoring and bedrest for that. I believed she would be okay to relax at home for the night…it has really only been a few hours—but the tear has _clearly_ enlarged at a rapid rate that I was _not_ expecting. But with a hybrid pregnancy…I should have known to expect the unexpected. Unless Ramona experienced any trauma afterwards?”  
  
  
His words were clinical, like he had this conversation many times before. Their loss became an autopsy, and the significance of this moment felt underwhelmed as the technical jargon he listed for her loss hung unsatisfactorily in the air.  
  
  
They didn’t say anything because neither could think of anything that would explain it. Anyways, no explanation would make the pain that they felt any better. Ramona felt _empty;_ even though the baby was so, so small…she could still feel the little thing move inside of her and kick around. Now that was all gone.   
  
  
And to think— _she was going to get rid of it.  
  
_  
Ramona began crying harder.  
  
  
Vaguely, she felt Aro’s fingers brush against her hair in an attempt to calm her, but she could tell that his heart wasn’t truly in it—  
  
  
“What happens now?” he asked. His voice was cold. Hollow.   
  
  
Remorseful was the only way to describe the doctor’s face as he told them what would have to happen. There was no other option—the infant would have to be delivered. To perform a c-section would just increase the bleeding and put Ramona in further risk of a myriad of complicated issues that could otherwise be avoided. Carlisle told them that she would have to give birth. That he’d induce her, if she’d like to get it done sooner.   
  
  
Ramona would have to give birth anyway…and then they would be empty handed.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
“ _Push_ , Ramona, you got to push,” Doctor Cullen coached, as he positioned himself between her legs. Aro held her hand and she squeezed it as tight as she could, as if he were the only thing keeping her held together.   
  
  
The pain was _unbearable,_ even with the epidural that the doctor had given her, and seemingly endless. She had been in labor for _hours_ after Carlisle gave her the pill to induce her. Each contraction felt like a burning stab in her side.  
  
  
It went on. And on, and on, and on—by the eighth hour, she was starting to feel delirious, her brain no longer functioning. Everything was blurring together. Ramona forgot what was happening—all she knew and could recall was that she was in Doctor Cullen’s home office, and she was giving birth.  
  
  
“I-I can’t do this,” she cried through gritted teeth, “I can’t—I can’t—”  
  
  
“Baby has to come out, Ramona,” Carlisle stated matter of factly, “You just need another couple of pushes, you’re almost there—”  
  
  
Ramona held her breath and gave another large push, feeling like she was going to explode. She gave another strangled gasp. “ _Aro_ ,” she could barely focus, but she knew he was with her. Another excruciating contraction was building up and she squeezed his hand harder. “I’m—I’m not ready,” she whined out, “I-I’m not…not good enough to be a mom—”  
  
  
Unbeknownst to her, Carlisle and Aro shared a look.  
  
  
She forgot what was happening.   
  
  
Aro shushed her, and caressed her hair back from her sweaty forehead, and whispered encouragingly in her ear that she could do it. He didn’t leave her side to look down at the crowning head. Aro didn’t want to see it.  
  
  
“One more push, Ramona,” Carlisle instructed, and she knew it was almost the end. “One more _big one_ , and you’re done.”   
  
  
She let go of everything in her mind, everything that had happened, all of her worries and concerns and fears, and just focused all of her energy into one final push. Pain shot through every inch of her body and she cried out, but felt something shift and felt herself stretch, and she knew she did it. She gave a heavy gasp, and waited.  
  
  
And waited—  
  
  
The silence in the room was deafening.  
  
  


* * *

  
Ten small toes, so tiny and perfect. Ten fingers too. Her nails were almost microscopic. Her skin was pale, but translucent, like glass held up to the light. Like if they just held her up a certain way, they would be able to see through her. Her legs were thin, lacking the round chubbiness one often sees in infants. The stomach was flat, and she could see the ribs, but there was a perfect little belly button that was formed and Ramona’s heart _ached_ as she realized that was the part of her that was connected to her. She barely remembered anything about the labor, she was dazed and confused from the epidural that he gave her beforehand, but she would **_never_** forget it when Carlisle cut the umbilical cord. She swore that she felt it. She felt it as the last part that connected the child to her was clipped away forever.   
  
  
Ramona wasn’t sure if she wanted to see her initially, but…then she thought about it, and realized, if she didn’t see her _now_ — _she never would._ And there was a part of her that **_needed_** to see her. She convinced Aro, who looked like he wanted to book it out of the room and run away as far as he could, to stay with her…and meet his daughter.   
  
  
Carlisle had left the room to give them their privacy. Aro made it very clear that there were to be no visitors. Not even her sister. Ramona didn’t argue…for once they agreed.  
  
  
Because she just wanted to share this moment with Aro, and only Aro. Nobody else.  
  
  
Ramona held her daughter, who was wrapped up in a small white blanket, in her arms, close to her chest, and peered down at her. Aro climbed on the bed and sat next to her, and stared down at the tiny, blanketed baby. She rested her head against his shoulder.  
  
  
Their daughter looked like a perfect angel, having a peaceful slumber in her mother’s arms. She was so, so small…Carlisle said that she only weighed 2lbs. 8oz. She could practically fit in the palm of her hand.  
  
  
Her small eyes were closed, pale, barely there eyelashes spread out against her cheeks. The baby had a button nose and sweet little pink mouth, that was open _just slightly_. Ramona imagined hearing a coo out of those lips, but there was nothing. Just silence.   
  
  
After a long while, Aro’s fingers _finally_ made their way to touch the baby for the first time. He brushed against the baby’s wisps of black curls, just like her own. His thumb, so gentle and _barely touching her_ , because she was so fragile, lightly caressed down her cheek. Ramona already felt her cheek, so she knew how cold the baby’s skin was, but Aro didn’t seem bothered…though she wondered if that was because his skin was also ice cold. To Ramona’s skin, which was hot and sweaty from hours of labor, the coldness was jarring.   
  
  
Ramona bent down to kiss their daughter’s nose. She smiled sadly as she looked up at Aro. He had an unreadable expression on his face. “Her skin is so soft,” she finally commented. She gave another small kiss on the baby’s forehead, and then on her cheek, and then on her lips.   
  
  
She settled comfortably into the bed with the baby on her chest. Ramona was _so exhausted_ from labor, but she refused to sleep right away, wanting to see her daughter the second after Carlisle cleaned her and brought her out to them. But she could feel her eyes start to droop, even though every single inch of her was fighting, _screaming_ — _stay awake, stay awake as long as you can, don’t close your eyes, she’ll disappear.  
  
_ _  
_ “Ramona,” Aro’s velvet voice finally came, and shook her awake. She blinked tiredly and looked up at him…looked up at the man who she loved. Who loved her back. The man who was the father of the tiny little angel in her arms. “Amore mio, you need to sleep—”  
  
  
“No—I can’t sleep, not while I still have her,” she whined sleepily. “They’ll take her away—”  
  
  
“Nobody will take her away from you while you are sleeping,” Aro reassured her. His tone was so strong, and certain, and she believed him right away. “I will make sure of it.”  
  
  
Reluctantly, she nodded, and she passed the bundle over to Aro so she could settle into the bed more comfortably. It was the first time that he held her. She looked at him sleepily. “Hold onto her until I wake up,” she yawned, “Don’t—don’t let anyone else touch her—”  
  
  
“Sleep carina,” he hushed her, and he leaned down and gave her a kiss on the lips. And then she passed out, welcoming the darkness like an old friend. Welcoming a dreamland where maybe her daughter would be alive.   
  
  


* * *

  
The second after Mona passed out, Aro looked at the small bundle in his arms... _really looked at it for the first time._ And as he stared down at it, the sadness that he was feeling, that sadness that his mate rubbed off on him as he felt the gloom radiate off of her, was quickly transforming into something else. He could feel anger begin to bubble underneath his skin and threaten to overwhelm him. Knowing that he would be unable to keep his composure, Aro gently laid the bundle down in a nearby cot.   
  
  
Aro gave her one last look, and then walked away.  
  
  
He felt a bit guilty for not holding onto her like Mona asked. _But_ —  
  
  
_But he couldn’t_ ** _do it_** _.  
  
_  
Aro growled angrily and left the room, practically kicking down the door in a fit of anger. He stalked out of the room, out of the house, ignoring everybody as he went past them. He saw their sympathetic eyes. It took all of his self-control not to _rip their heads off_ —  
  
  
Even though he didn’t breathe, Aro felt less lightheaded outside as he tried to calm himself down from the raging fire inside. But he was angry. So, _so angry_ —he wanted to kill something, rip something apart with his bare hands, sink his fangs into something—  
  
  
Because this…this was a nightmare.  
  
  
His baby, _his daughter…_ she was so perfect. A miniature version of Ramona, with small black wisps of curls on her little head. So beautiful, and tiny, and **_his_** —his own little miracle that he never imagined would even be possible.   
  
  
But it wasn’t what he expected. He imagined little coos and babbles, first steps, first smiles and laughter. He imagined a sprity little girl with a wild mane of curls that ran all over the castle. He imagined Ramona teaching her ballet. He imagined sitting her on his lap as he sat on his throne. He _imagined, and imagined, and imagined_ —  
  
  
Aro could imagine all he wanted.  
  
  
But that didn’t change reality.  
  
  
The reality that his daughter was born cold. And that she would never coo, or babble, or smile, or laugh. That she would never do any of those things, or more—  
  
  
He was outside and staring into the dense forest, and he considered running into it and disappearing for a little while…disappearing until everything made sense again. But as much as he wanted to, he couldn’t. He couldn’t leave Ramona here by herself. What did Charlie sa _y_ — _here’s the moment when you’ve shown yourself as a failure of a father. Because you have_ ** _one job_** _as a father_ , and that’s to _keep them safe, and you couldn’t even do that._ ”  
  
  
Aro didn’t keep her safe. He didn’t keep _both of them_ safe. He left them—  
  
  
He heard his golden eyed, golden haired friend approach him from behind.   
  
  
“Aro—” the voice was laced with sympathy, and he hated it. He was the leader of the Volturi, the most powerful vampire coven in the world, one of the three kings who controlled _everything._ He controlled everything. Everything was in his control.  
  
  
Except _this.  
  
_ _  
__This was something that he couldn’t control.  
  
_ _  
_ “How did this happen, Carlisle?” Aro didn’t even look at the other vampire. He couldn’t look at him—the doctor was there when they lost everything, he shared that private moment with them and saw the devastation. Carlisle knew more than he was comfortable having any other being in this world knowing.  
  
  
His friend tried repeating the same lines from earlier. “It—it was a placental abruption, nobody could have known it would happen _so_ rapidly—”  
  
  
“No,” Aro cut him off. He had been thinking about this for a while, since the doctor first told him about the abruption that caused his daughter to…to _suffocate_ in the womb. He knew how it happened. But he wanted to know _why._ “What caused the abruption, Carlisle.”  
  
  
The doctor stayed silent for a few moments as he tried to figure out how to tread carefully about this particular subject. Aro remained as still as stone, inwardly seething, _needing answers._ Finally, Carlisle spoke up. “Aro…there isn’t any one answer.”  
  
  
Aro turned to him, his eyes blazing, “ _What is_ ** _that_** _supposed to mean?”_ He thought about everything that had happened leading up to the abruption. He thought about the _wolves_ , their threats, the fact that one of them whacked Mona and made her fall. Her wincing in pain. Just the thought of it made every instinct within him shout at how _satisfying_ it would be to rip off the heads from their bodies. Aro made this known to Carlisle. “The _wolves_ —”  
  
  
“Ramona’s fall from your interaction with the Quileute tribe was indeed troubling,” he agreed, “It certainly did not _help_ her condition. But Aro,” and the doctor looked at him sadly, “Assigning blame will not bring back your daughter. And there likely isn’t a singular reason as to why this happened. I had a multitude of concerns regarding the viability of this pregnancy since the beginning. I did not raise the alarms, however, as Ramona was uncertain if she was even going to keep the baby, and I did not want to add _more_ undue stress onto her then she already had. I let her go home with you because I thought it would be in her best interest to keep her as relaxed and comfortable as possible.”  
  
  
Aro didn’t say anything. Carlisle continued. “Aro—when Ramona arrived in Forks, she was under an **unbelievable** amount of stress. Stress can have a detrimental effect in the early stages of pregnancy. Not to mention—” the doctor looked like he didn’t want to say it, “Aro…she drank _so much_. Four or five drinks during a regular, nine month pregnancy is practically nothing, but her gestation was three weeks. She was already in her second trimester.”  
  
  
_Because_ ** _you_** _stressed her out by fucking everything up_ —his mind cruelly reminded him. _You lied to her, you hid your marriage from her_ …  
  
  
Carlisle could see the wheels turning in the red eyed vampire’s head. “But Aro…that’s not fair to say that is the sole cause of it too. Ramona—she was stressed, she drank, she fell, she was slightly underweight _as it was_ …put all that with the fact that this was not a regular pregnancy, but a _hybrid pregnancy,_ which has enough complications in and of itself. And sometimes, in regular pregnancies, these things…they **_just happen_** , Aro. They happen without a just cause, without a specific reason that we can pinpoint and say with certainty, that _this_ is the definite cause of the trauma. Aro—it won’t bring her back.”  
  
  
Mona’s pregnancy, something he had looked forward to so much, something that he thought would be simple, that it would lead to something beautiful…he had **_wanted_** it so badly. He wanted it, and desired it, so he _had to have it._ The Cullen boy had _his daughter_ , and made a little family with his mate, and Aro…he wanted what he had. And Aro had _always_ gotten what he wanted. Always had his own way.  
  
  
Aro manipulated things to get his own way all of the time.  
  
  
Aro used his power, and used his position, and the vampire hoard he had at his disposal all of the time, to get what he wanted.   
  
  
_He always had his way_.  
  
  
But not this time—  
  
  
The one thing he wanted most of all, and he couldn’t have it his way.  
  
  
The vampire king didn’t realize that he was shaking until he felt the steady pressure of his friend’s hand on his shoulder. It kept him grounded. Aro didn’t have to read Carlisle’s mind to know that the other vampire knew he was suffering. That he was about to fall apart. He felt like a human man again, weak and fragile. “Look away,” he muttered to his friend. The golden eyed vampire looked away in pretense for the man’s ego.   
  
  
And Aro let out a scream.   
  
_  
_

* * *

  
To his disappointment, he wasn’t able to avoid the rest of the American coven like he would have wanted to. As he entered the house, with Carlisle behind him, the rest of the family watched him warily. Aro had every intention of ignoring the family. Things were awkward between the Cullen family and the Volturi before this all happened, ever since the trial. The farce of a trial he desperately wanted so that he could obtain Alice and Bella’s powers for the Volturi.  
  
  
A dark thought crossed his mind— _Alice.  
  
_ _  
_ “ ** _You_** ,” Aro snapped, as he turned his attention to the vampire that he thought he was most interested in the entire world. Alice, the clairvoyant he was willing to go to war for…the one he had invested so much of his will and desire for. “You are _supposed_ to be a clairvoyant.”  
  
  
The small vampire at least had the decency to look somewhat ashamed. “I—I don’t understand—”  
  
  
“ _Neither do I_ ,” Aro hissed angrily, and he watched as her mate came over to protect her. He had the suspicion that the blond vampire was trying to manipulate his emotions and attempting to calm him down, but Aro was _past_ that. “I was under the impression that you were able to see the future. And yet, you gave no warning—”  
  
  
“It’s wrong!” she tried desperately to explain herself. _Wrong?_ Aro’s body tensed in anger. _Everything about this was_ _wrong._ “I saw her future, I swear! I saw—I saw a baby, a _son_ , an alive one a-and Ramona as a vampire, and—”  
  
  
He didn’t want to hear anything else. All her words did was enrage him further.  
  
  
“My baby _daughter_ is dead. And my _mate_ —” he uttered that confession with strength he hadn't known he still had, not caring anymore if anyone knew. He wanted them to know. He wanted them to know that Ramona was his mate, that she was _his family_ as much as theirs. “—remains human, and frail, and broken,” he spat venom at the small vampire. He looked her up and down. “It seems your talent is a disappointment after all. I want no part of your _gift_ anymore.”  
  
  
It was disappointing…and to think, he placed so much faith in her talents and abilities, Aro had never considered that she could be so wrong. That her gift and ability to see the future could change depending on the things that happened. Perhaps she _did_ see a healthy baby at one point. But perhaps the decisions that they made—choosing to stay at Charlie’s, Aro leaving her to go to Canada, leaving her alone for hours…maybe that changed the future.   
  
  
“I want to see Ramona,” his mate’s sister spoke up, “and…the baby.”  
  
  
Aro growled. “Not right now.” And he stalked away from the group to where he left Ramona sleeping peacefully. She was still sleeping when he entered the room, and the bundle he left on the cot was untouched. He picked the bundle up, holding it close to his chest, and looked down at the baby again. Nothing changed.  
  
  
He waited an hour before waking Ramona up, wanting to spend some time alone with the little one. He wanted to take in every inch of her while he still could. Aro knew he would have to think about next steps…about what to do with Ramona, what to do with his daughter, where they went from here—  
  
  
When Ramona woke up, the first words out of her mouth surprised him. “We never came up with a name,” she said sadly, “We never named her.”  
  
  
Aro thought about it. They never had a chance to have that discussion. Ramona barely had any time to even process the decision to keep the baby. Everything happened so fast that it took away the time that they would have to go through normal pregnancy things. Like thinking of names. “You can name her if you want,” he said softly, and he carefully handed the baby over to her. He didn’t have any name ideas. Aro wasn’t even sure he was going to name her; _but if it makes Ramona happy_ —  
  
  
“I had a dream,” she whispered softly, “And in it, she was older…and I was teaching her to dance. And I thought about it—when we first met, I was dancing the dance des cygnes as the white swan. The sweet, innocent princess…” she touched the baby, “let’s....let’s name her Odette. Even—even if it’s silly, and I don’t know if you like it, but—”  
  
  
“Then that’s her name.”   
  
  


* * *

Giving Odette her name made the infant in her arms feel so much more real than before, but it also made her sadder, and heightened the pain of the loss. But she was grateful for the alone time that she got to spend with her— _with her and Aro_. She knew that she didn’t have long before they would have to discuss what happened next.   
Finally, Aro spoke up, “Carina—” he started, and he kissed the top of her head. “We need to talk about what happens now.”  
  
  
Ramona stilled. She knew it was time to talk about it, but she hadn’t wanted to. She didn’t want to think about what happened next. She wanted to sit in this room with Odette and Aro and never leave. But her vampire was more of a pragmatist.   
  
  
“You—almost died,” Aro sounded like he had thought a lot about it, “You could have died. Along with Odette. And then—then I would have had nobody. I would have been alone.”  
  
  
Ramona thought about that. She _had_ almost died, she lost a lot of blood from the abruption. She would have left Aro to mourn for both her and Odette. It made her feel sick to her stomach to even think about. “But…you didn’t lose me,” she whispered. She grabbed Aro’s hand and held it to her lips, giving him a tender kiss. She looked up at his red eyes…so strange, so unnatural, but his all the same. “You still have me.”  
  
  
“And I want to _keep you_ , Mona,” Aro touched her chin, “I don’t want to risk losing you.” His gaze traveled down to her neck. “I could make that possible. I could make it so you never hurt again.”  
  
  
_Never hurt again._ It was tempting, she had to admit. After this entire thing happened, the idea of being indestructible, no longer feeling pain, sounded like a blessing. And she had already accepted the idea of becoming a vampire and leaving her human life behind her. She had accepted that when she chose to keep Odette. _But now_ —  
  
  
Now it wasn’t an unfortunate consequence of choosing to keep their child anymore. She could remain human and…and _somehow_ carry on with the life that she was living before. Ramona could go back to dancing. If—if her body allowed it, after a while…she could go back to normal, just like she wanted.   
  
  
_Like she wanted_ —  
  
  
Tears ran down her face. _No_ , she thought, as she looked down at the angel in her arms whose life ended tragically…whose life ended, and _hers_ continued. “I can’t—I can’t waste my life,” she decided, “I can’t do it. I—I don’t know what the selfish decision is, but…but it feels _wrong_. Like, it would make her death meaningless—”  
  
  
She could tell Aro was unhappy with her answer, and that this would be something that they would argue about in the future. But at the moment, with their daughter in her arms, he didn’t say a word against her.   
  
  
At one point, her sister knocked on the door and asked if she could come in and see her and the baby. Aro growled angrily but Ramona shushed him, and said that she could come in. The infant was her sister’s family too…her niece. Bella was loving, and polite, but Ramona could tell that she was uncomfortable. As was Edward, after he came in, and the look on Aro’s face told her that he was becoming increasingly agitated by their visitors. Only little Renesmee, who at first brought sadness to Ramona as she reminded her of the child she would not have, brought some warmth into the room. Renesmee touched her aunt’s cheek, and Ramona saw herself the way that her niece saw her. She saw a mother and father, and an infant…she saw a _family_. A sad one…but one nonetheless.   
  
  
A family that started _here_ , of all places…in Forks, Washington, at the Cullen’s household for her sister’s wedding. Odette was buried where Aro and Ramona first met, in the private open field near the house, where Aro secretly watched his mate dancing from afar. For Ramona, it seemed that everything came full circle.   
  
  
Bella pulled her aside afterwards, when Aro was pulling up with the car that he rented into the driveway. “You don’t have to go back,” she told her, “Now that you’re back here, with us…you’re safe. Ramona, don’t…don’t go back with him if you don’t want to, we will help protect you. You can stay here—”  
  
  
And it was true. She was surrounded by a coven of vampires that would be willing to protect her from the entire Volturi, and from Aro. She could stay here, and go back to normal. Now that Aro’s big plan didn’t work out the way that he imagined it.   
  
  
He hurt her. He lied to her, and manipulated her, and now they were no longer stuck together because she was pregnant with his child. She could detach herself from him if she wanted. _And why shouldn’t she?_ Aro had a wife that he had no problem cheating on—what if he did the same to her? He had no problem omitting things from her that he felt was in his favor. She had a feeling that there was more that he was either lying about, or _omitting_ from her as well. And there was no doubt that her life would be **_so much simpler_** without him.   
  
  
Aro was arrogant. He was selfish most of the time, and could be such a brat about things. He used people like they were chess pieces in a game of his own making.   
  
  
Herself included.   
  
  
But then she looked at Aro, who stepped out of the car and was patiently waiting for her. He stared up at her like he never had before…like she was his entire world. _And she knew that she was._ She imagined how he would feel if she told him that she didn’t want to go back with him.  
  
  
Ramona ran out of the Cullen house and into his arms. She made her choice. 

* * *

  
**So I have been freaking out about this chapter for WEEKS now. I said to myself - okay Theresa, this is the chapter where everyone will hate you and turn on you and stop reading this. You'll make them hate you if you post this. You need to change it, make it happy, give them the baby they want. And I really did consider doing that. MULTIPLE times. Getting through this chapter was really difficult for me and I was constantly questioning myself. But I realized, if I did change it...the story would be a lie. This is part of their story. This has been part of their story since the beginning, I always planned on this. I want you all to know that. None of your comments swayed me one way or another (even if it almost did) to get me to do this. I did this because this was what I planned on happening for a long time. And if I changed it, I wouldn't be true to myself, or this story.**

**A lot of the theme of this story, at least Aro's arc, is his arrogance, him always getting his own way. Getting everything he wanted. He manipulates and controls everyone around him to get his own way. But this is something he couldn't control, for the first time in his life, and in the saddest, tragic way possible, it's kind of karma for everything horrible that he had done.**

**That being said, I do hate the idea of using poor Odette as nothing but a plot device. A plot device designed to punish Aro for his crimes. Yes, that is a slight bit of it. But there's so much more. The truth is, what I was also trying to say with Odette, is that these things happen. Not all pregnancies are perfect. Miscarriages and stillbirths HAPPEN. And this is what happened. What was probably GOING to happen, considering all the stress that Ramona was in. It's tragic, but it's a part of life. And this story is nothing but story about life. About Ramona and Aro's lives together.  
  
  
If you stick with me and this story after this chapter, and don't completely hate me, I want to say thank you so much. And that I promise, that this story isn't over and there's so much more to stick around for. Both happy things and more sad things lie ahead. I love and appreciate you all! **


	29. Moving Forward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELLO READERS!
> 
> I literally almost never post this late at night, I'd rather post in the morning/beginning of day. BUT, I am going to be working at 16 hour shift tomorrow, and Monday I am starting classes which I will be doing all day (830-430) next week every day M-F, so I wouldn't be able to post until Monday evening at latest. And I really wanted to give this to you before that! 
> 
> I hope you like this chapter alright! I'm not sure how I feel about this chapter. It's maybe...a little all over the place? Idk. But I guess I'm just setting up the next arc of the story. Hopefully you'll like this chapter alright! 
> 
> Have a good night! <3 <3

* * *

  
Ramona had fallen asleep pretty quickly on the flight from Seattle, as she cuddled next to Aro, clutching the small white blanket to her chest. The small white blanket that they had wrapped around Odette. It was the only thing she had left of her daughter, and she made sure that she took it before she buried her child under the flowers in the open field.   
  
  
She awoke when she felt the wheels of the jet hit the ground, taking a deep breath through her nose and trying to shake the sleep off of her. Ramona blinked and in a daze tried to remember what she was doing or where she was going— _Italy. You’re going back to Italy with Aro.  
  
_  
“ _Buongiorno, cara mia_ ,” Aro reached over, his hand cradling her head and brought her close so he could lock his lips to hers. It wasn’t sexual or passionate; it was comforting, his lips were soft and smooth and somehow reminded her of _home_. “You have woken up at the perfect time, we have just landed in Volterra.”  
  
  
 _Volterra_ —not Florence. She didn’t know how to feel about the fact that he brought her back to the vampire city instead of Florence. Aro, who was running his thumb against her cheek, immediately understood her concern. “I want to keep you with me, for now,” Aro explained, his voice steady and calm and reassuring, “I do not want to be without you right now. But I am needed back in Volterra, I have been gone for far too long.”  
  
  
The last time that she was in his castle, he had told her that her guard believed her to be nothing more than his Christmas dinner. Their red eyes looked at her in amusement, like she was just their king’s _plaything_. And his _brother_ —Caius was incredibly cruel to her when they last spoke, and she could not forget the way he regarded her as if she meant nothing. Aro clearly did not hold his regard in high standards, but she knew the other vampires likely did. Was Aro powerful enough to back her up against the rest of his coven?  
  
  
Aro leaned in once more to capture her lips with his. “Do not concern yourself with the thoughts of others, carina,” confidence radiated off of him, “You are with me and that is enough.”  
  
  
She clutched the small white baby blanket tighter to her chest.  
  
  
“What about our condo in Florence?” she asked quietly. That was her _home.  
  
_  
“We will return there eventually,” Aro assured her, “But for now, you need to rest. Carlisle said that you should rest and relax for at _least_ a week before going back to work. And since you will not be returning to work right away, there is no need for you to return to Florence at this time.”  
  
  
Before they left, Doctor Cullen had a discussion with them regarding Ramona’s aftercare and what they should expect, as well as offered Ramona various prescriptions and referrals to psychiatrists. She took them graciously, but then threw the referrals out. She had no desire to see any psychiatrist. Carlisle emphasized the importance of _grief counseling_ —Ramona didn’t need to be counseled in order to figure out how to appropriately grieve for her child. Aro similarly turned his nose up at the suggestion. But Ramona did take the pain medication that he prescribed, as well as the hormonal birth control pills he offered, although she did not want to even think about anything that had to do with that at the moment.  
  
  
Especially not since she was currently nursing herself with an ice pack in between her legs to help with the pain.   
  


After they landed, Ramona and Aro were greeted at the airport by an _impossibly large_ vampire that she didn’t recognize from the last time she was at the castle. She was shocked by his size…he was even larger than Emmett, and he easily mountained over her petite form. The guard bowed his head in reverence at Aro, before glancing quickly at Ramona in curiosity. She didn’t know what to say, and she was too mentally and emotionally exhausted to try to make conversation.  
  
  
The car ride to the castle was mostly silent, the only sound being made being Ramona’s light breathing and the clicking of Aro’s phone as he typed away on it. She cuddled closer to him and tried to peak over his shoulder. “Who are you even texting?” she asked, curiosity getting the better of her.  
  
  
Aro hummed. “I am simply double checking that all of your necessities were picked up from the condo,” he explained. He kissed her on top of her curly head. “I want to make sure that everything is all set for you when we arrive.”  
  
  
“Oh,” she yawned tiredly, and was satisfied enough to curl back against him. Then a thought suddenly hit her and she jolted up. “Wait!” she practically shouted, startling the huge vampire that was driving the car. The car swerved a bit to the side and her boyfriend gave her a disapproving glance. “Sorry,” she smiled sheepishly at Aro, “but—what about George?”  
  
  
She heard a snort come from the front seat and Aro’s face brightened a bit in mischievous amusement. Ramona felt her heart skip a beat; it was nice to see Aro smile again. It somehow made her feel a little better. He ran his fingers through her thick hair.  
  
  
“Your hellish beast is awaiting you at the castle, cara, do not worry.” At that she managed a small smile at the thought of her one eyed kitty. Aro, encouraged by her smile, continued. “As it is, it seems that he has already developed quite a reputation while we were away.”  
  
  
She blinked, and her smile got a little wider. “Oh no, what did he do?” and she glanced to the front seat at the giant vampire expectantly. The guard seemed unsure how to respond and looked at Aro as if for permission. He nodded in approval.  
  
  
“Your cat was supposed to remain in Master Aro’s quarters at all times, but he managed to escape _twice_. He was found by Caius to be running all over the castle,” he laughed, “ _He_ — _he was_ ** _so pissed_**.”  
  
  
Ramona decided she liked his laugh; it was loud and booming, and matched his giant form perfectly. It was strangely warm, like a human’s, and it made her feel a bit better about going back to the castle.  
  
  
 _Maybe they’re not all bad_ —she thought to herself. _He's not so bad. And there’s Demetri_ —  
  
  
 ** _Demetri_** —  
  
  
The thought of the vampire who had become a friend to her when she was first in Italy made the smile instantaneously disappear from her face. She recalled what Aro said that night when they reunited— _I may have also lost our best fucking tracker in the world because of you._ The Volturi’s most important law was not to let humans who know about vampires go.  
  
  
 _He was going to be punished because of her_ —  
  
  
Maybe it was because of everything that had happened, and because her hormones were completely out of whack, and because she was _tired_ , and exhausted, and emotionally destroyed from losing her daughter—but she began to sob. Full bodied, hand shaking, nose running, tears running down her face kind of sobbing. In the most uncharacteristic way, because Ramona hated crying in front of others, but she was past the point of caring. She felt Aro shift against her as he gathered her in his arms. “Oh Mona,” he muttered softly, caressing her skin gently.  
  
  
The driver was thrown back by her reaction. He had no idea what was happening and assumed she had become upset about the cat. “I mean, the cats just fine—”  
  
  
She didn’t see, but Aro glared threateningly at the guard in signal for him to shut up. Felix immediately closed his mouth, looked away, and pretended that he was oblivious to everything going on in the car.  
  
  
“It’s all my fault,” she cried despondently into her blanket. Ramona thought about her friend being locked in a cage, or having his limbs ripped apart, or being set on fire—each scenario making her stomach twist as she considered the horrible ways that he would suffer because she left.  
  
  
“ _Shh sh sh sh sh_ —” Aro shushed her, beginning to rub her back in calming, steady strokes. The deep roll of his palm against her spine relaxed her enough to cease her shaking. “Hush, carina. You are getting yourself worked up over nothing. None of those things have happened or are currently happening to Demetri—”  
  
  
At the mention of the tracker’s name, the driver glanced back through the front mirror in surprise. Aro growled. “Eyes forward, Felix.” and as a reflex, the vampire went back to acting like they didn’t exist.  
  
  
Ramona sniffled. “Okay, maybe it hasn’t happened _yet_ , but it could.” She looked up at Aro’s eyes so she could see the truth. Or if he would itch his nose. Despite his penchant for lying, his mannerisms so often betrayed him. “Right?”  
  
  
Aro did not look eager to answer her question. “His punishment has yet to be decided. His trial awaits my return to Volterra, and then we shall consider the appropriate action to take in response to his crime.”  
  
  
 _His crime_ —  
  
  
She would have been infuriated with Aro’s hypocrisy— _after all, it was all his fault that she became involved with the vampire world_ —if it weren’t for the fact that she was so dependent on him right now. Ramona huffed but said nothing.  
  
  
They reached the castle and she felt her anxiety spike as they descended further and further down. She had no idea what to expect when they reached their destination. But Aro held her hand in his and squeezed it tight, their faces interlaced together in a show of partnership. And she knew he would protect her no matter what.  
  


* * *

Aro was unsurprised that Mona had slept most of the flight after the harrowing couple of days that she had been through. He was pleased by her slumber though; perhaps it was because he no longer had the simple pleasure of sleeping off his problems himself, but he felt better knowing that his mate could shut her eyes and rest comfortably against him, forgetting all of her troubles. Even if it was only for a few hours.  
  
  
Before they landed, Aro had made sure that everything was in order for him to come back to Volterra, mate in tow, without any unnecessary drama. He was thankful to whatever human came up with cellular devices—his ingenious little device proved quite useful while he was away so that he could remain in contact with Volterra. He regretted not investing any stock in the technology sooner. He always considered him a patron of the sciences, after all.  
  
  
He would need to get Caius a device. It would make things a lot simpler to have direct communication with his brother than through a middle man. He disliked having his guard members know so much.

  
Although Felix had always been fiercely loyal to the cause. And his texts regarding the adventures of his mate’s cat _had_ been rather amusing. Aro took some pleasure in knowing the feral little creature caused his brother some grief while he was away. It was the least he deserved after the way he had treated Ramona.  
  
  
The most important thing he was able to confirm was that Sulpicia was no longer in the castle. He did not ask how, but Felix was able to confirm that her presence would no longer be an issue. The last thing Aro wanted was for Mona to be more upset or anxious than she already _was_. She didn’t need the added drama of a bitter ex-wife and divorce hanging over their shoulders.  
  
  
Mona was clutching the baby blanket to her chest as she slept. She had insisted on keeping it, and Aro was secretly grateful that she did. Mona’s human senses may not have noticed it, but the blanket held a lingering scent of his daughter’s skin.  
  
  
 _And it was all that they had left of her.  
  
_ _  
_When they landed at the airport and were picked up by Felix, it did not escape his notice that Felix gave the small little blanket a questioning glance. Aro knew he could smell the unmistakable scent of his hybrid child on it. A scent that combined Aro and Ramona.  
  


Aro knew it would cause more questions than he cared to answer.  
  
  
But he didn’t have the heart to take it away from her.  
  
  
Especially not _now,_ when her mood was all over the place. He was unsure if it was her hormones that had made her so labile, but he watched her shift from grinning about her cat to sobbing over Demetri in a matter of seconds. But despite everything, Aro was relieved to find out that she was not overly upset with him.  
  
  
 _Ramona clung to him like a lifeline.  
  
_

Not that he was complaining, because Aro enjoyed every second of closeness they had and it **_felt so right_** to have her back in his arms. It was just uncharacteristically unlike her to be so _clingy.  
  
_ _  
_He could feel her anxiety as they walked past several lesser guard members on their way to the throne room. But her fear was unfounded; they no longer looked at the small, dark haired human as if she were something to eat. It was abundantly clear, with Sulpicia’s departure and their interlaced fingers, that she was meant as so much more. Which pleased Aro, as he was unwilling to tolerate any more disrespect towards her.  
  
  
As they entered the throne room, Aro was surprised to see that a small crowd of the higher ranking guard members were gathered around waiting. He schooled his expression, and let himself go back to his carefree, eccentric old ways. He approached his brothers and the crowd with his fakest smile. Doing all that he could to mask the pain that he still felt.  
  
  
“ _My dear ones_ ,” Aro greeted the guard, before turning his attention to the two kings. “Brothers. This is quite a welcome home party—”  
  
  
“I see you have returned with your mate,” Caius cut him off. He stared his nose down at them and their locked hands. He looked slightly amused. “Although, she remains _more human_ than I thought she would be when you returned.”  
  
  
Aro felt Ramona shift uncomfortably next to him, and he could sense from her thoughts that she still harbored fear for the blond vampire. Instinct compelled Aro to defend her.  
  
  
“Ramona is human,” he acknowledged, and then he turned to his guard, “and she is my mate.” The guard switched their attention to Ramona, who was currently staring at him in confusion. He read her mind—she was confused by the word “mate” being thrown around so much. And it made her feel uncomfortable; _oversexualized._ Aro realized he would need to have a discussion with her regarding their mating bond soon. _Perhaps Marcus could help him—  
  
_ _  
_Aro continued to address the guard. “As such, I expect her to be treated as an extension of myself. Any action or behavior taken against her, will be considered as an offense towards me,” he glared in particular at some of the younger, more spirited of the guard. Like Alec, who was looking particularly amused next to his serious looking sister. A growl erupted deep in his chest, a warning sign to them all. “Is that understood?”  
  
  
“Yes Master Aro,” they replied in unison. If there were any doubts to the relationship to the king and the human, there weren’t any now. Caius addressed the guard.  
  
  
“Does anyone have any problems with that?” he asked, his eyes glinting wickedly as if he was hoping for a fight. But if any of the guard had any issues, they certainly did not make it known. Their mouths remained shut and Aro had the sense that they all knew better than to question his authority.  
  
  
 _How much longer is this gonna take?_ Her mind whined at him. He could feel how physically and mentally exhausted she was. There was also the matter that she was likely horribly jet lagged. _I’m so tired_ —  
  
  
Aro brushed his thumb along her wrist to comfort her. She leaned her head against his shoulder in exhaustion. Marcus cleared his throat.  
  
  
“Now that is settled, I believe it is time for everyone to return to their normal posts,” he spoke up, “we will reconvene after Heidi’s evening fishing as needed.” The guard nodded, bowed, and then left, leaving the three kings and the tired looking human in the throne room. Mona yawned, seemingly no longer bothered by what was happening around her. Her sole focus seemed on getting to Aro’s quarters and passing out.  
  
  
Caius looked at her unimpressed. “We will be having a discussion revolving around your mate’s humanity.”  
  
  
“It does not have to be _now,_ Caius,” Marcus admonished as he observed Ramona. Aro had the sense that the vampire saw more than he cared to discuss right now; he could only imagine how twisted the catastrophe of their bond must look to him. Marcus continued. “the girl appears exhausted. Aro, you should let her retire to your chambers and rest for a while.”  
  
  
Aro nodded, and he reached out to touch Mona’s chin lightly, “Let us go, carina.” She leaned into his hand sleepily.  
  
  
As they turned to leave, Caius called out to them with a final question. “What took you so long, Aro?” he asked. It was a fair question…he knew he was gone longer than originally intended.  
  
  
Aro swallowed. He pushed down the flood of emotions that threatened to erupt. He gave Caius a _look._ “There were **_complications_** _—_ ”  
His voice broke at that word.  
  
  
He hated how weak he sounded at that moment.  
  
  
Caius heard it though, and his usually cruel eyes softened a bit, if that was even possible, as he glanced at the white blanket clutched in his mate’s hands. Aro looked away; he didn’t want to see any sympathy, and he didn’t want to discuss the matter. She carried the scent of their hybrid child in her arms _—but was empty handed._   
  


“Complications indeed.”  
  
  


* * *

  
Aro brought her to another wing of the castle that she had not visited last time that they were last here for Christmas. Aro guided with his hand behind her back until they reached the final room down a long private hall. And despite her exhaustion, Ramona couldn’t help but let out a small gasp in surprise when he opened the door to his quarters.  
  
  
His quarters were _huge;_ like one of those luxury penthouse suites that you would see in expensive, thousand dollar hotel rooms. Ramona was surprised at how sleek and modern looking it was, and she had to admit it, Aro had _taste_. The door opened to a giant living room area, with couches and huge televisions, and a giant chandelier hanging from the ceiling. The suite went on further back to a bedroom and a connecting ensuite. The only thing that seemed to be missing was a kitchenette, although she supposed Aro would have no need for that.  
  
  
As she was looking around in wonder, Ramona felt her lover come up from behind her and wrap his arms around her waist. “Welcome home,” he purred, and he pressed a kiss to her neck. He made her heart flutter, but despite all of the excitement, she still felt so _drained,_ and all she longed to just lie down and sleep. She heard Aro hum behind her. “Let’s get you to bed.” and without warning, he picked her up in his arms and traveled the length of the room to the bedroom.  
  
  
 _I want to stay in your arms—_ her mind whispered to him.  
  
  
His bedroom was similarly impressive, with an impossibly large bed with a translucent white canopy. She noticed a small grey little blob laid curled up on the middle of the bed. Ramona smiled sleepily as she instantly recognized her cat. Aro’s reaction was not so positive.  
  
  
“ _Damn cat is going to get its fur all over the bed—”_ he muttered as he gently laid her down on the bed. Tiredly, Ramona watched as he picked up the cat, who woke up with a loud yowl to see who disturbed its slumber. But upon realization it was Aro, the cat immediately began purring happily and rubbed its head against his chest. Her vampire looked unamused, and was ready to toss the cat off the bed. “Wait _—”,_ she stopped him, and gestured to the cat with gimme hands, “Give him to me.”  
  
  
He sighed, but acquiesced, and handed over the cat. George didn’t seem to mind though, and he purred happily in her arms, rubbing its soft head against her. She came comforted by the cat, and curled up in a ball, cuddling him close to her chest. It felt good to hold him, to feel the rhythmic vibration of her purrs against her, lulling her to sleep. Vaguely, she felt Aro, who had removed his clothing, shift beside her and pull the comforter over her. "Go to sleep, amore mio,” he whispered, and she closed her eyes.  
  
  
When Ramona awoke, she was surprised that she felt refreshed for the first time in _days._ George was no longer in her arms, though, and she turned around to see the cat face up in Aro’s lap, paws in the air. She watched quietly as Aro seemed to be playing this game with the cat where he would try to rub the cat’s belly, who in turn would attempt to claw or play-bite his hand. She smiled softly; he seemed to not have realized she was awake, and he had a small grin on his face as he played with the cat.  
  
  
Finally, Aro noticed and he gave her a sheepish look as she caught him playing. He stopped what he was doing and leaned over to kiss her lips. She sighed into his mouth.  
  
  
“What time is it?” she asked, realizing she had absolutely no sense of time. She remembered that it had been dark out when they left Seattle, and that it was a fourteen hour flight to Italy, but the time differences confused her. And she knew that she was going to feel jetlagged for days until her internal clock figured things out.  
  
  
Ramona was grateful to have the next two weeks off so that she could relax; Carlisle had gotten in touch with her ballet studio and apparently provided them an excellent doctor’s excuse as to why she’d be out. Carlisle suggested at least two weeks of rest, so that’s what they decided she would take to relax before she went back to work. And by some stroke of luck, Signora Ionetti excused her sickness and said that she would be happy to welcome her back when she felt better.  
  
  
Although, _if she was being honest with herself_ , Ramona knew that by the end of the week she would be counting down the days until she returned.  
  
  
“It’s 9AM, cara mia,” Aro announced, and he gently threw the cat off his lap so he could turn to her. His bare skin, although cold, felt nice and smooth and she cuddled closer to him. “Perfect time to wake up. Are you hungry, love?”  
  
  
 _Love._ She heard him call her that pet name in Italian a few times now, but hearing it in her own mother language made her feel a whole new kind of way. Love. She was **_his love.  
  
_**  
“I am, actually,” she responded, and she sat up and stretched out her back, rolling her aching joints. _I’m going to be so out of shape when I return to dancing—_ she thought to herself, as she looked down at her stomach. Although she had never gotten _huge_ , there was still a small bump that wasn’t there before. She ran her hand along the bump mindlessly.  
  
  
Aro’s expression softened. He slid down her body until his face was at her stomach. She held her breath. He kissed her belly. “Let me feed you.”  
  
 _  
_Aro got dressed and left her to grab her some breakfast and Ramona sighed, leaving the warm bed and exploring the ensuite. The bathroom was just as large and grand as the rest of the suite. She looked at the giant jacuzzi tub in interest _—_ ** _that_** _will be nice.  
  
_ _  
_He came back with some breakfast as she sat on the couch and lazily flipped through the channels on the television. Aro then brought over several large bags from the corner of the room and placed them in front of her with a thud. She raised her eyebrows.  
  


“Is that the stuff from our condo?” she asked through a mouthful of oatmeal.  
  
  
Aro cleared his throat. “Yes, it seems that Caius had our new secretary go to the condo and pick things up for us,” he looked at the bags skeptically, “we shall see how she did. If there is anything that she had forgotten, please tell me cara _—_ ”  
  
  
“Why, so you can find some excuse to merk the poor girl?” she teased, “I think not. I am sure she did _just fine.”  
  
_  
They went through the first bag together; it was mostly just her clothes, which she appreciated because she included a lot of comfortable sweats and t-shirts that she couldn’t wait to slip into. She opened the second bag and was surprised to find some of George’s items, along with multiple cans of cat food. She took a can out and gave a groan of annoyance.  
  
  
Aro gave her a look of confusion. “Is something wrong with the cat food?” he frowned at the can, “I thought I told them the right brand. And he likes chicken _—”  
  
_ _  
_“He likes _shredded_ chicken,” Ramona emphasized, eyeing the can hatefully, “This is chunks…he’s not going to eat this.”  
  
  
“Wha _—_ ** _why_** _?”_ he spun around to face the cat who was lying lazily on the back of the couch. “It is the same thing!”  
  
  
“Remember how he refused to eat it when we bought him that? The morning after Christmas?”  
  
  
Aro tried to recall the day after Christmas…but all he could remember was him and Ramona humping like rabbits all day long. He supposed at one point she must have fed the cat.  
  
  
Aro shook his head. “It is a cat. He’ll be fine.”  
  
  
George was not fine. He refused to eat a single bite.  
  
  
Ramona glared at her vampire lover.  
  
  
Aro made an exaggerated sigh and grabbed a fork and shredded the chunks of chicken himself. George meowed and ate it happily.  
  
  
“…are you going to shred it every single time? Because _I’m not—”  
  
_ _  
_Aro called down to the secretary to tell her to purchase new cat food. And then he sat and considered who he was going to let eat his secretary.  
  
  


* * *

They took a break from sorting through all the bags about midday when Aro announced he needed to check in with his brothers. Ramona nodded and let him og, deciding to just veg out in the room and read a book. She was a quarter of the way through Shakespeare’s King Lear _—she realized after going through his private book collection that Aro kept no books past the 17th century—_ when there was a knock at the door.  
  
  
Ramona froze immediately _—_ Aro wouldn’t knock. She didn’t think either of the other two kings would either, leaving it to be one of his many guards. And despite the show that Aro put on yesterday in front of everyone, she didn’t feel particularly safe or comfortable. Not when so many of them just looked at her last time she was here as if she were nothing more than a side dish for their king.  
  
  
 ** _Still_** _—you can’t stay hidden away forever_ , she thought to herself. She would have to face the guard eventually.  
  
  
Taking a deep breath, Ramona opened the doro to reveal a tall, pretty looking woman with long red hair that fell down past her shoulders. She was another vampire that she didn’t recognize from before, and Ramona couldn’t help but wonder _how many_ vampires were in the coven.  
  
  
The woman, who appeared similar in age to Ramona, smiled brilliantly. And somehow, despite her initial hesitation and distrust, she felt a little bit better. Like she was safe with her.  
  
  
“Hello Ramona,” her voice was soft and soothing, and she felt herself relax even more. “I’m Corin, it’s a pleasure to meet you.”  
  
  


* * *

  
  
While Aro would have been more than happy to just spend his first full day back in Volterra relaxing with his mate, he knew he had been gone far too long to put off any more duties. He needed to be caught up on any happenings that occurred while he was away _—the case of the newborns in Prague had been particularly concerning before he left—_ and Caius wanted to discuss Ramona. Avoiding that conversation would help nobody.  
  
  
His brothers were not in the throne room when he checked, and he sighed in annoyance, not feeling up to running around the castle looking for them. But if they both weren’t there, they were likely meeting in private _—_ likely, in one of their personal quarters. Knowing that Caius hated sharing his private space with anyone, Aro took the long path to Marcus’ quarters in the west wing of the castle.  
  
  
Sure enough, Aro found his brothers engaged in a quiet but intense conversation. At his arrival, they looked over at him and immediately stopped their discussion. Aro’s stomach twisted uncomfortably.  
  
  
“Brothers _—”_ he started, as he put on his usual, carefree mark. It didn’t look like they were buying it though. “There you are. I was looking for you…one would think you were conspiring against me.” he joked, only it came out humorlessly.  
  
  
Caius and Marcus shared a look.  
  
  
“Conspiring no, but we were talking about you,” Marcus admitted, “you and your mate.”  
  
  
“Oh?” Aro pretended to be surprised. But there was nothing surprising about it; Aro was well aware that he and Mona were the new juicy news in the castle. “And what about us?”  
  
  
The two kings were silent, but their silence spoke volumes. Aro knew exactly what they were talking about.  
  
  
“We…need to discuss your mate’s humanity today,” Caius spoke up, “The three of us. **_And_** your mate. We need a timeframe if she is going to be allowed to live here and remain human.”  
  
  
It was a deflection; Aro knew they weren’t talking about Ramona’s humanity. But it was a discussion they needed to have regardless.  
  
  
“Of course…I will send a guard to my quarters to bring her down in a little bit.”  
  
  
“Send Corin,” Caius suggested, “We will need her calm for this conversation. We don’t need your mate crying all over the place while we discuss important matters.”  
  
  
Aro felt his temper flare as the instinctual pull to defend his mate arose within him. “Caius—”’  
  
  
“It would not hurt you to be more sensitive to the girl, brother,” Marcus interjected. His face looked forlorn. “after all…” and then he left it at that.  
  
  
 _After all_ —  
  
  
Aro stood resolutely despite the urge to run calling him to go and leave the room. Even without telling a single person, Aro and Mona’s tragedy was public knowledge.  
  
  
He wouldn’t even be able to grieve in peace.  
  
  
“She didn’t have to be transformed then?” Caius finally spoke up, his curiosity overhauling the awkwardness he must have felt. _And there it was_ —they were going to talk about it after all.  
  
  
“No,” Aro felt cold…if that was possible. “No, she did not.” He was not going to further elaborate. Not if he didn’t need to.  
  
  
But the blond vampire pressed on. “You were with the Cullen coven, were you not? Aren’t they supposed to have a clairvoyant? _Shouldn’t she have seen this coming?_ ”  
  
  
“ _You would_ ** _think_** ,” Aro spat bitterly. “But her vision was wrong. Her powers are clearly not as precise as we had imagined. I no longer want her for our guard.”  
  
  
“What did she see?” Caius asked, and Aro explained what she had told him, and how _horribly_ wrong that she was about it all. Marcus and Caius remained silent, and looked thoughtful.  
  
  
“Well—perhaps she is not completely wrong,” Caius speculated, “afterall, your mate remains human. She is not a vampire yet. Perhaps her visions were not wrong, but just… _premature_.”  
  
  
Aro’s stomach twisted at the thought. He did not want to think about that. At least not yet…not when the pain of losing Odette was so fresh. The thought of doing it all over again…risking Ramona’s life—  
  
  
Losing his mate would be too much.  
  
  
Caius smirked. “You still want that right? And God knows you’ve always been _particularly gifted_ at getting what you want.”  
  
  
What he wants…  
  
  
 _He wanted his daughter_.  
  
  
Marcus seemed to sense Aro’s increasing distress and saved him from the conversation. “That’s enough scheming, Caius,” he scolded the blond, who scowled in response. “Aro, you need to focus on repairing your bond with Ramona right now. You have her here with you, Aro, do not lose this opportunity to care and comfort your mate who needs you.”  
  
  
His words sent a shock to Aro’s system. “Repair? You mean, our bond is broken?”  
  
  
“Not broken, no. Your bond shines as bright as before…it is very strong. But—” and he looked hesitant to continue. Aro knew that the next words out of Marcus’ mouth would be hard to hear. “Aro, your bond is mostly being held together right now by a shared trauma...not love."  
  
  
 ** _Trauma_**. Aro hated that word. Carlisle had used that word too, and it made him uncomfortable to hear. And now Marcus used it—used it to describe what had happened to him.  
  
  
“I’m…sad,” Aro muttered slowly. He didn’t look at his brothers, he _couldn’t_ —an image of his baby popped in his head. The memory of her soft skin and wispy black curls. He did his best to hold it together. It served none of them any good to see him act so weak. “I’m not… _traumatized_.”  
  
  
He clearly fooled nobody. Marcus nodded sadly. “Well…sadness can only hold a bond together for so long. It is no replacement for love. Focus on rebuilding that connection, Aro. Do not lose her love."  
  
  
Aro hated having this conversation with Marcus. His brother’s sage advice and wisdom regarding love made him feel horrible…as he was reminded by the fact that Marcus had lost their love of _his_ life many years ago. His own sister… _Didyme_ —and Marcus had never been the same. The death of his sister—  
  
  
Aro still had nightmares over it.  
  
  
And the thought of losing Ramona, the woman that he loved…condemned to the same fate as Marcus—was too much to bear.  
  
  
But his brother was right—he did need to work on repairing his bond with Mona. And then he needed to figure out how much longer he would need to concern himself with her fragile humanity until they took the next step, and she joined him in immortality.  
  
  
He ordered Corin to get Ramona and bring her to the throne room where they would all meet. Before they left Marcus’ quarters, Caius spoke up and asked Aro one last question.  
  
  
“What was it?” he asked. Aro thought of Odette. His _baby_ —  
  
  
“It was a girl.”

* * *

**So this chapter WAS going to keep on going, but the chapter was getting very long so I just decided to split into two chapters instead (like you haven't heard THAT BEFORE lmfao).  
**

**So we're still a little sad in this chapter. But we also got some cuteness with George...who is just what Aro and Ramona need right now.  
  
**

**Next chapter will jump right into the discussion with Ramona and the three kings-  
  
**

**Anyways, now that we're back in Volterra, we can get to this next part of the story. Should be fun and interesting to write, I'm excited again to write and no longer feeling anxious about it all (posting the last chapter was so nerve wracking). Thank you all for your love and reviews!!! Hope you enjoyed this chapter!  
  
**


	30. For Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Good Morning and Happy Hump Day!
> 
> Haha, I don't usually post on Wednesdays I don't think, but here we are. If you've noticed, the updates ARE getting a bit slower. Usually I have one or two chapters ahead of me, so that I feel comfortable posting more often, but nope...I'm all caught up and I am writing and then posting now. Perhaps I will be able to write a little more and get myself ahead again. I finally finished this chapter last night at like, 2AM. 
> 
> Although writing might be slow right now because I think I have carpal tunnel lol I've been wearing a wrist splint, taking Advil, and slathering on Arnica gel like it's nobody's business, and my wrist is feeling a bit better. Although I worry about how much writing and typing is going to fuck up my wrist even more. Still- I shall try my best to persevere. 
> 
> Thank you for all your reviews and comments and for sticking through this story! Even when I make you sad and crazy lol

  
**BTW: I believed I mentioned to some of you that I would include a picture of our George on here so you all know what he looks like. Here he is, in all of his glory. Our one eyed, grey Scottish fold with behavioral issues. Don't we just love the new Volturi mascot?**

* * *

  
  
Ramona and Corin made their way to the throne room, chatting animatedly the entire time. Ramona found that she really liked Corin—the two of them seemed to share a lot of things in common. The vampire seemed excited to find out that she was a ballet dancer, and they talked about their favorite ballets on their walk down. And Ramona felt her previous fears about the guard slowly disappear—after all, she liked Demetri, and Felix, and now Corin.  
  
  
When they finally made it there, all three vampire kings were already there, sitting in their thrones. She felt strange seeing Aro up there; it almost felt like he was a different person all together, and she was meeting him for the first time. She looked around; fortunately, there were no other guard members around but Corin. Ramona felt weird just standing there in front of them— _like she was on trial_ —but she guessed it was probably protocol. And the Volturi seemed to be the type to care about protocol.  
  
  
Aro must have sensed her hesitation because he stood up and walked to her. “Cara mia, you’re here,” he greeted her, and he placed a hand on her cheek lovingly. She felt a bit better at his touch. He looked at the guard behind her. “Thank you Corin for bringing dear Ramona here. I trust there were no issues?”  
  
  
Ramona was unsure if he was addressing her or Corin. Either way, Corin decided to answer. “No Master Aro, everything went just fine.”  
  
  
Aro smiled. “Ottimo! I was hoping the two of you would get along,” he gestured to the red headed vampire, “Ramona, after much consideration, I have decided that Corin will be your personal guard and attendant. She will be accompanying you when you leave the castle…at least, until the time in which you are turned, that is—”  
  
  
Ramona frowned. It wasn’t that she didn’t like Corin, she did… _she really did_ , but—  
  
  
“But what about Demetri?” she asked. She knew it was a longshot, but she missed her friend. Aro looked annoyed at the mention of the tracker’s name, however.  
  
  
“Demetri’s fate has yet to be decided, carina,” he responded. His thumb brushed her cheek. “But no matter what we decide, Demetri would no longer be your personal guard. I will feel much better knowing you are under the care of Corin.”  
  
  
She wanted to argue. Wasn’t the whole point of pairing her with Demetri was that he was an amazing tracker in case she ran off? _Although_ …she no longer had any intent on running off anymore. She was with Aro— _exactly_ where she wanted to be.  
  
  
“Precisely,” he responded to her thoughts. He was right, but still...that didn’t make her feel any better about the situation. She had so many questions about what was going to happen to him, and it seemed that Aro did not want to let her in on _that_ at all.  
  
  
“Corin, you may leave now,” Aro addressed the guard, who nodded and bowed, before leaving the throne room. Aro lifted Ramona’s hand and gave her a light kiss on the knuckles, before turning and making his way back to the throne. Then, in his most formal way, he addressed her. “Mona, we brought you here because my brothers have brought it to my attention, and _frankly I agree_ , that we need to discuss the issue of your humanity.”  
  
  
It felt so formal and so out of place for what Aro and her had gone through. _Discuss her humanity?_ She wasn’t even sure what he meant by that. Aro had already mentioned turning her into a vampire when they were back in Forks, and she told him that she wasn’t ready. What more was there to talk about?  
  
  
But perhaps he needed to hold a formal discussion with his brothers to satisfy them. She played along. “Okay…” she started, and she played with the hem of her sweater to keep herself calm. Caius’ red eyes were burning into her and she couldn’t help but remember how cruel he was to her the last time they met. When he basically called her Aro’s _whore._ “What about my humanity?”  
  
  
“I am _certain_ that Aro had you well-versed in the laws of the Volturi,” Caius said snidely, and she couldn’t help but glare at him. If he was going to be a jerk to her, she'd give it back to him— _Aro_ was here, he wasn’t going to do _shit_ to her. “In particular, the fact that humans are _not_ to know of our existence, and those that do, must be immediately transformed, or silenced forever.”  
  
  
Aro cleared his throat and glared at the blond vampire. Caius seemed unbothered.  
  
  
“Yes, but brother, you forget that this situation is rather… _unique._ ” Aro argued, and he looked to his brother as if to request back up. “And exceptions can be made—”  
  
  
Caius scowled back at Aro. “If we made an exception for you, and the rest of the vampire world found out that we went against **_our own rules_** —”  
  
  
“Brothers, I believe the question is less whether or not Aro _intends_ on transforming Ramona, but rather _when_ —” Marcus spoke up, and he looked at her critically as if to see how she reacted. “Am I correct in this analysis, Ramona?”  
  
  
She bit her lip, as she tried to figure out how she wanted to respond. In truth, she _hated_ thinking about having to transform into a vampire. But she also realized that if she was to be with Aro, _this would_ ** _have_** _to happen, right?_ Aro was a vampire. He couldn’t go back and change—only she could change to be like him.  
  
  
“I—” she struggled, and licked her lips as she gathered the words. “I mean… _eventually_.” She looked to Aro for support and guidance. “I don’t know when, but…I will become a vampire one day. When…when I’m ready—”  
  
  
“It is not simply **_up to you_** to decide when you are ready,” Caius interrupted coldly, “we have laws. _Rules._ Perhaps she may stay human for a short while, but the longer she remains human, the greater risk she presents for **_all of us_**.”  
  
  
“Why does this feel like _I am on trial?_ ” Ramona raised her voice, and she finally turned her angry stare to her boyfriend who was **_not_** defending her against Caius. “Aro, we had this discussion already, I told you I wanted to wait—”  
  
  
“Mona, my love, this is simply formality,” he attempted to calm her, but it only made her more annoyed. “We _will_ wait to transform her,” he announced, glaring at Caius as he said so. “But for _how long_ is what we need to discuss. Mona, how long do _you_ think is a reasonable time? It is your humanity, after all.”  
  
  
This is exactly what she didn’t want to talk about— _a timeframe._ It would make everything so definite, and final…which she wanted to avoid, if possible. While she knew she wanted to be with Aro, she didn’t like the pressure of having to pick a time and date for when she decided to _end her life_. Or at least, her human life; she wasn’t sure what she could expect with a vampire life, Aro seemed to still enjoy things, but—  
  
  
She didn’t know. She didn’t know if she’d be able to still enjoy the things she loved most, like _dancing._ If she was a vampire…was that the end of her ballet career forever? Sure, she could still dance, but it wouldn’t be the same. She’d be a good dancer because she was a vampire…vampires were perfect, weren’t they? Lovely and graceful through _no work of their own_ , but just by supernatural bonus. Which didn’t seem fair—how could she dance in a ballet company as a vampire, knowing she had an unfair advantage? It took the competitiveness out of it, which was part of what made her _so_ ** _driven_**.  
  
  
Although everyone knew that a ballet dancer’s career was practically over when they reached forty anyways. And then they’d come up with a secondary career if they felt so inclined. Ramona had never thought about what she wanted to do after ballet; she was only twenty six, retirement seemed _so far away.  
  
_ _  
_But the thought of being young and beautiful forever…she didn’t want to get _too old._ Aro never talked about his human past much, but he did once mention that he was about forty when he was changed. Ramona knew that she wanted to be younger than his human age.  
  
  
The Volturi were so strict though— _how long will they let me remain human?  
  
_  
She thought about it long and hard before finally coming up with an answer. “Well…I’m twenty six now. So maybe—” she picked a number that she thought would be more than fair. Long enough for her to live life, but short enough that they shouldn’t complain. She bit her lip in anticipation. “—three years?”  
  
  
Silence hung in the air afterwards, causing her stomach to flip as she immediately got the impression that she said the wrong thing. The blond vampire looked furious.  
  
  
“ ** _Three years?!_** ” he snarled at her. She jumped slightly, and Aro glanced over at his brother in disapproval. Caius lowered his voice but he appeared no more calm. “You would be lucky enough to have three _weeks._ ”  
  
  
 ** _WEEKS?  
  
_** ** _  
_**Ramona must have looked horrified, because Aro immediately jumped to her defense. “Caius, three weeks is certainly not enough time,” he admonished, “We can afford to give her longer than that.”  
  
  
“She has already had a month,” Caius argued, “Your mate has been _prancing_ about Florence with the knowledge of our king for an entire month. How much longer does she need? Each day that she remains human, is another day that she chances ruining the reputation of the Volturi.”  
  
  
— _did…did he just refer to her dancing as_ ** _“prancing”_** _?!?!?!  
  
_  
Ramona was seething. “I haven’t said anything or told anybody—”  
  
  
“And for that we can consider ourselves extremely fortunate that you are not stupid.”  
  
  
“So what do _you_ think is an appropriate amount of time, brother,” Aro snapped, becoming more annoyed by the direction this conversation was going. “Since you seem to have such strong opinions on the matter.”  
  
  
Caius twitched his jaw in frustration. “No longer than a month.”  
  
  
Aro raised an eyebrow but seemed to consider that option.  
  
  
Ramona’s jaw dropped. “ _A month?”_. She tried to imagine only having another month left of humanity. She would be unable to dance in Coppelia. Which she _really_ wanted to do. She pleaded Aro for support. “Aro— _please_. You know how important dancing in Coppelia is for me.” He appeared regretful, but not particularly persuaded. She remembered back when they were in Forks and he offered to turn her— _he wants you as a vampire sooner rather than later.  
  
_  
“Her sister remained human for a year before she was turned,” Marcus spoke up, the only rational voice in a sea of angry, chaotic arguing, “It seems that it would make sense to give Ramona just as much time as we allowed for the Cullens.”  
  
  
Aro seemed to brighten at that suggestion. “That seems perfectly reasonable,” he grinned, and the look he gave Ramona was one of adoration. His voice was soft and soothing and smooth like velvet. “How does that sound, cara mia?”  
  
  
 _A year._ ** _One_** _year.  
  
_ _  
_Ramona didn’t know how to feel about it. It made everything so definite. She’d have one more year left to be a human. And then—  
  
  
And then _forever?  
  
_  
“I mean—” she was struggling to come up with an answer, stuttering, “I-I guess—”  
  
  
“Then that settles it,” Aro announced, and he looked at Caius who did not look pleased at the decision but was remarkably keeping his mouth shut. “Ramona will remain human for a year’s time. She will be changed in the new year.”  
  
  
 _Then that settles it_ —her fate boiled down in four simple words.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Aro could barely remember his past as a human; memories blurred together and after living for well over a thousand years, he was unsure which of his memories were real, and which were ones that he had made up in his head over time. Sometimes he thought that he might have been a painter; he loved art, collecting it, drawing it, painting. Other times, he thought that he might have been a scientist, or a philosopher. In darker moments, Aro knew in the back of his mind that his past likely held more shameful secrets that he was better off not remembering.  
  
  
Didyme had remembered their past. But now that she was gone— _his past disappeared with her death.  
  
_ _  
_For that reason, Aro didn’t quite understand why humans were so attached to keeping their humanity; they were so fragile, and weak, and _perishable_. And he knew that Ramona, despite her insistence that she had come to terms with taking the immortal kiss, still held on tightly to her human life. But he was going to give her an entire **_year_** —Aro had thought that was more than reasonable. She wanted to dance, and she would be able to. And he’d give her the greatest year of her human life; he’d bring her all over the world, and she’d get to try everything before it was too late. She would drink, and eat, and dance, and fuck… ** _God_** _, would they fuck_ —Aro knew that would be one of the things he would miss most about her being a human. Her warm, hot _sex_ was undeniably _addictive_.  
  
  
 _Although_ … _it would be nice to not have to hold back so much.  
  
_ _  
_If Ramona became a vampire, he could have her however long and however much he wanted. Her exhaustion would no longer be an issue—  
  
  
They had made their way back into his quarters, and Ramona instantly collapsed on the couch with a loud, exaggerated sigh. He joined her, shrugging off his jacket so he was comfortable, and she crawled up next to him, resting her head against his chest. “You totally sidelined me.” she complained, looking up at him with her large brown eyes full of annoyance. Aro hummed, running his hand along his chin.  
  
  
“Apologies, cara mia,” and then he reached down to give her a peck on the lips. She didn’t turn away but she didn’t lean into it like she normally did. He could tell she intended on giving him a hard time. “But I think that it turned out rather well—”  
  
  
“I wanted three years,” she whined. She was practically pouting. “And I got _one_.”  
  
  
“My love, you should consider yourself fortunate to get an entire year,” he tried to appease her, “I was thinking the most I was going to be able to argue for you for was six months. This is a far better outcome than we could have hoped for.”  
  
  
His little human huffed in frustration. “Aren’t you king shit, can’t you just make the decision and _say_ that I’ll be human for three more years?”  
  
  
 _If only._ “If I was a _tyrant_ , yes,” he drawled, “Alas, it isn’t just my decision to make…all three kings have to agree. Think of it as the Volturi’s checks and balances system. One of us cannot hold more power than the others, lest it fall into dictatorship.”  
  
  
 _You’re close enough_ —her mind argued snidely, and he chuckled. Aro had _so missed_ the feisty side of his mate. It seemed she wasn’t done arguing with him. “When is Demetri’s trial?” she asked next, flinging the question out of nowhere and instantly souring his mood.  
  
  
“Demetri—” he scowled, feeling anger begin to bubble up in his chest as he was reminded of the tracker. The tracker that _disappointed_ him. The tracker that let his mate run off, and risk her life…her _and_ their baby’s life, in fact, as she was pregnant with Odette at that time. If something had happened to her when she ran off—the vampire would be blessed with a quick death if he was lucky; at least that would be more merciful. “ ** _Again_** _with Demetri_ —”  
  
  
“I want to go to the trial,” Mona insisted, and before Aro could tell her how that _so_ wasn’t going to happen, she hammered on, “I should get to go to the trial. The trial is about me, about what happened with me…I was a witness to the event. The _only_ witness. So I should get to go. It’s…it’s what is _legally_ ethical.”  
  
  
 _Legally ethical_ —  
  
  
Aro hummed and squeezed her sides, “Mmm, don’t talk law _with me_ , amore mio, I practically invented the law—” She snorted.  
  
  
“ _Yeah okay_ —” she gave him a look, “but really, I should be there. After all, I’m…I’m your _mate_ aren’t I? Shouldn’t I try to do something important? Or like, get involved?”  
  
  
Hearing her say that sent a wave of pleasure down his spine, and he growled possessively, clutching her body closer to his. His hands traveled to her ass and he pulled her on top of him. “You don’t even know what that word _means_ ,” his mouth murmured against her neck, and he felt her shiver underneath him. She made a delicious little noise of protest.  
  
  
“Then tell me what it means—” she breathed. Her lips were parted and it took everything within him not to capture them with his tongue. Aro groaned as he felt himself harden.  
  
  
“How about I _show you?_ ” he shifted his hardened member against her leg, and she gave a small moan in response. Encouraged, Aro pressed harder into her and squeezed her tight, before his hand reached down to touch her intimate area through her leggings. To feel her hot, warm, _wet_ pussy—  
  
  
She gave a gasp of shock and immediately jolted her hips away from him.  
  
  
His hand that was on her bare skin could read every thought running through her mind. She didn’t intend on having the reaction, but now that she did…her mind was overflowing with feelings of embarrassment, shame, hatred, anger, sadness. Intense, overwhelming sadness. _And pain._ He didn’t realize it, he wasn’t paying attention, but Mona was still in horrible, intense, _physical pain_ from childbirth. And she didn’t—she didn’t _want to be touched there._  
  
 _  
_Mona was looking away from him, her face buried in her hands, in an attempt to hide the tears that he knew were falling down her cheeks. But she didn’t make any noise, her tears were silent. And he was silent; he had no idea what to say to her. No idea what he should do. “I-I’m _sorry_ ,” she finally whispered, “but, I—I can’t—”  
  
  
Aro removed his hands from her body and simply held her hand in his. And waited.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Ramona had no idea what to say to him in that moment; one second, they were on the couch and she was in his arms and she felt his arousal, and it was _nice_ — _she_ ** _wanted_** _him_ , and then…and then he touched her, and everything crashed. She had forgotten that she was still in pain, and his touch was akin to a painful stab in her most sensitive region. _It hurt,_ and she freaked out, and backed away from him like he had done something wrong. And then she felt _guilt, and embarrassment_ , because—well because it wasn’t his fault, he didn’t do anything wrong, it was all her…her and her fucked up body and fucked up mind. But despite that, and despite the fact that she desperately wanted Aro just as much as he did, she knew she _couldn’t do it._  
  
  
But now they were here, sitting together, lost in thought— _well, she was lost in her thoughts…Aro could have been lost in his own thoughts AND her thoughts…how horrible_ ** _that_** _must be_ —not saying a thing. Because… _where do you go from here?_ Ramona thought. Every time that she thought they were taking a step forward, it felt like two steps back. It seemed that the entire universe was against their happiness.  
  
  
Finally, Aro squeezed her hand and brought her hand to his lips, and he kissed her knuckles. “Stay here, I will be right back,” he told her softly, and she nodded.  
  
  
Ramona closed her eyes and began to take deep breaths in and out of her chest, willing herself to calm down. She focused on just her breathing, trying to ignore the sound of Aro’s footsteps heading to the bedroom. Tried to ignore the sudden sound of running water.  
  
  
Aro returned and she opened her eyes, looking up at him. _Aro_ —he was staring at her with an unwavering expression of love and devotion. He held out a hand, and she looked at it, then looked back at the bedroom door behind him, where the sound of running water was coming from. “Trust me, cara,” he implored her. She took a breath. And then grasped his hand.  
  
  
He led her to the bathroom, where he was running water in the giant jacuzzi tub, which was starting to foam with beautiful smelling bubbles. The smell of roses and vanilla filled the air, and she bit her lip nervously. Bottles of oils and bath salts sat on the table, and some plush looking washcloths were hanging on the rim of the tub. This was… _romantic._ And although it was much appreciated, she didn’t want him to think that this was going to go anywhere. She didn’t want to disappoint him, or _herself,_ again.  
  
  
“Calm down, carina,” he turned to her and gently brushed her hair away from her face. He cradled her head, “I have no expectations. I want you to relax.”  
  
  
 _He loves you_ — _relax Ramona_ , she told herself. And she nodded.  
  
  
Aro waited for her to make the first move, which she was thankful for…he was being uncharacteristically gentle and patient with her. Slowly, she removed her sweater and leggings from her body, shivering at the cold air. Ramona unclasped her bra and let it drift on the floor. She swallowed; then she removed her panties.  
  
  
There were two marble steps to take to get into the tub, and Aro held his hand out to help steady her and prevent her from slipping. _Don’t let me fall_ —she thought to herself.  
  
  
“Never.”  
  
  
Ramona dipped herself into the water, and instantly felt the chill leave her body as the warm heat enveloped her. The bubbles caressed her bare skin and the scent of roses and vanilla reminded her of _home._ In the corner of her eye, she watched as Aro began to unbutton his dress shirt. When he noticed she was watching him, he stopped at the last button. He was staring at her, waiting for approval. She nodded.  
  
  
Aro undressed himself and climbed in the tub after her, and slowly but surely waded through to get close to her. But she didn’t feel like he had any mischievous intentions, and he took her arm and gently guided her so that her back was against his chest. She sunk lower in the water and only her shoulder blades up were out of the water. He nuzzled her neck.  
  
  
“Can you tie my hair up?” Ramona asked tiredly, reaching to the spare hair elastic that was on her wrist to hand it to him. He took it and gathered her hair up, and made what she assumed, without seeing, a very messy bun. With her neck exposed, he rewarded her with small kisses up and down her neck. She smiled and let him.  
  
  
He didn’t try anything. And there was no stirring of groins, or pinches of her nipples, or anything like that. They softly touched each other’s bodies. Aro stroked her shoulders, her arms, down her fingers…he grabbed a washcloth and poured some body wash and scrubbed circles along her back. She hummed in content, closing her eyes. Ramona was enjoying the feeling of being close to Aro again, _being intimate again_ , but without the pressure, and the pain of actual sex. This… _this was okay.  
  
_  
Her feet were intertwined with his and she wiggled her toes against him.  
  
  
When he was done, Ramona grabbed the wash cloth, dunked it into the soapy water, and turned around to do the same to him. She sat in his lap, facing him, and ran the washcloth down his own body. She appreciated the parts of his body that she never appreciated before; she appreciated his collarbone, and his shoulders, his arms, and hands, and fingers.  
  
  
They sat in the bubbles and refamiliarized themselves with each other’s bodies until the water became cold. And she was given another reason why she loved him.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
It was getting late by the time that they were done in the tub, Aro could tell that Ramona was pleasantly sleepy and would likely fall asleep soon. He insisted that she had dinner before she went to sleep though, and he ordered the secretary to bring up food from the kitchens for her. His mate finished off a plate of gnocchi and crawled into bed, although not before pleading prettily that he feed her cat.  
  
  
 _She has you wrapped around her finger_ —his mind mocked him.  
  
  
But he did it anyway. Aro glared at the cat in distrust as he scooped out a can of the shredded chicken cat food into its bowl. The hellish beast just blinked at him innocently with his one eye, and then ate it without complaint.  
  
  
Aro decided to go through the rest of their belongings from Florence, to see if there was anything that Ramona would need. It was mostly just more of her clothes and toiletries until he got to the last bag. Leotards and tights of all styles and colors were in the bag, along with ballet slippers, her pointe shoes, and various colored ribbons for lacing them. She even included her tutus, the frilly, white lace skirts making him smirk as he remembered how adorable his ballerina looked in a tutu.  
  


Especially when she was angry with him, like she was in New York, and practically ripped him apart in the middle of the city because she thought he had _ghosted_ her.  
  
  
Back then—it had all been so simple.  
  
  
His hand caught the last piece of fabric in the bag and he frowned, realizing it was smaller than the others, and softer. Unsure if it was another leotard, he pulled it out and immediately was overcome with emotion when he realized what it was.  
  
  
It was the white onesie that Ramona had gotten him for Christmas.  
  
  
His present…the promise of having a child together _one day.  
  
_ _  
_Now the onesie was just a reminder of the child that they already had…that they lost, and who was buried half a world away from him. His tiny daughter. Odette had never gotten to wear the onesie that her mother had bought for her.  
  
  
Aro ran his hands over the soft material and thought about what he would do with it. Glancing over at Ramona’s peaceful, slumbering form, he decided that he would put it away where she didn’t see it, and that hopefully she’d forget about it. After all, it was his present. And he didn’t want her to hurt anymore than she already was. Plus she already had the blanket as a token reminder, and seeing the onesie would just get her upset all over again. So that night he brought the onesie to his private study, and giving it one last kiss, he gently placed it inside his wooden lock box and closed it shut. Saying goodbye to her, for now.  
  


* * *

**They be going THROUGH some things though-**   
  


**So I was going to include Demetri's trial in this one too, but ONCE AGAIN, I just started writing more than I could chew and said fuck it, I'll end it here, and then Demetri's trial will be in the next chapter. And then- story will move on!  
  
**

**Don't forget, everything I write is intentional. If you think to yourself, oh, that one storyline that I thought was a thing went nowhere, trust me...IT'S COMING.**

**  
Mwahaha - Theresa**


	31. Trial and Error

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Monday!!!
> 
> It's a brand new week and I'm out with the new chapter! Sorry it took so long to post. Like I mentioned last time, I had really bad carpal tunnel and it hurt a lot to write, but I'm feeling better now! :) Also I had class last week so no time to really write like I did before. But I started on the next chapter....hopefully that will be done before the end of the week.
> 
> Also it's really fricken hot out. I want to melt. 
> 
> Anyways, if you've stuck out 31 CHAPTERS of this story from the beginning, I thank you SOO MUCH. I can't believe how far this story has come since I began it in...April I think? Insane. This story has just basically been everything the last few months, and since everything fell apart, it's been one of my only constants. I love you all and can't wait to finish up this story for you! (don't worry, there is plenty of time before we reach the finish line though)

* * *

Ramona didn’t know much about the law, or legal matters for that matter, regardless of what she said to Aro about knowing that she should be at Demetri’s trial as a witness. But as she stood in the grand foyer, standing next to Corin and away from the rest of the guard, she told herself that this _wasn’t_ how normal trials went. Her friend was kneeling before all three kings, flanked by Felix and another large guard who she vaguely recognized from last time she was in the throne room.  
  
  
She had tried her best to make herself look presentable since she was going to be in front of the entire guard. Everyone else in the Volturi were always dressed to the nines…although they certainly didn’t use much _color._ Ramona was surrounded by a sea of black suits and cloaks, in stark contrast to her light pink tight sweater and white skirt. If it wasn’t enough being the non-immortal in the room, now she stuck out even more.  
  
  
Ramona fidgeted nervously as Aro announced the beginning of the trial, and the rest of the room immediately silenced. Caius then began to rant off a long list of the Volturi’s _laws_ , before dipping right into it. “Demetri, you are being tried because you allowed a human that knew about the existence of our kind to _run off,_ ** _unsupervised._** Your actions risked the safety and well-being of our coven, as of the safety of the human in question,” and he glanced towards her, and then at Aro, and then back at Demetri, “who _happens_ to be the mate of one of your leaders.”  
  
  
 _Fucking Christ_ —she cursed inwardly, as every single set of strange red eyes focused on her, and Ramona felt incredibly exposed. _Normally,_ she didn’t mind being the center of attention. She was a ballerina after all, and in so many ways she loved it. But she didn’t like it here—she didn’t feel safe or comfortable at the castle yet, not when she knew that if it wasn’t for the fact she was with Aro, that none of the vampires would give a second thought about sinking their teeth into her neck.  
  
  
Without thinking, she inched closer to Corin, who smiled at her and took her hand in hers. She immediately felt a little better. Ramona couldn’t really explain _why_ , but she felt so much safer with the red haired vampire around. It was nice knowing that she didn’t only have to rely on Aro for safety.  
  
  
Demetri was looking over at the two of them, and she immediately got the impression that he didn’t quite like Corin. She saw his eyes glance down at her and Corin’s interlocked hands. His eyebrows were furrowed in concern.  
  
  
Aro cleared his throat, and glared at Demetri, “ _Well?_ How do you plead?”  
  
  
The young vampire shuffled, obviously uncomfortable under the weight of so many eyes as everyone shifted their attention to him. Her heartstrings pulled for her friend, and she felt shame rise up in her chest. _He’s in trouble because I left_ —  
  
  
Demetri looked down at the ground. “I am guilty of the crimes that I am charged with.”  
  
  
Her stomach dropped. She knew he was going to say that, but it still didn’t make her feel good— _isn’t he even going to try to defend himself?  
  
  
_ But as she looked around, and analyzed the situation, Ramona realized… _what choice did he even have?_ This wasn’t a regular legal proceeding. There were no lawyers, or defense team, or jury…there were three judges, all of whom made the rules and made all of the choices for the entire coven.  
  
  
There was nobody to stick up for Demetri. He was on his own.  
  
  
 _Except he wasn’t_ —  
  
  
Ramona looked up at her vampire lover; the man who she loved so much and cared so _deeply_ for, the man who claimed to be her _mate_ — _whatever that meant_ —and the father of her child. On his throne, in front of his entire coven, he wasn’t the same Aro that she had known. The look that Aro was giving her friend…she had never seen the color red look _so cold._  
  
  
“You had been trusted with the task of keeping my mate safe and protected,” his voice was sharp as ice. _And_ ** _dangerous_** — _extremely dangerous._ His tone made the hair on the back of her arm stand and she shivered. Aro…he wasn’t playing, and this wasn’t a game to him. “You _failed me._ And you failed her. Your actions…your _decision_ , put her at serious risk of being harmed.”  
  
  
 _His actions…and his decisions, put me at serious risk of being harmed?  
  
_ _  
_**No.** It was Aro’s actions and decisions.  
  
  
But Aro’s expression revealed nothing that would even begin to suggest that he felt any hint of remorse or guilt for the part that _he_ played in this situation. Nor would it suggest to anyone around them that he even had anything to do with what happened  
  
  
In that moment that she realized what this was all about.. This wasn’t about _punishing Demetri_ —at least, not for Aro. Maybe Caius and Marcus were concerned about his breaking of their precious rules and letting her run off. But for Aro…she realized as she looked up at him, Aro’s jaw twitching in annoyance as he struggled to maintain control of his anger…it was about more than the law.  
  
  
 _It was about saving face.  
  
_ _  
_Demetri was just Aro’s scapegoat in this entire debacle….his _fall guy._ And the other two kings, they were playing along with it, despite the fact that they all knew it was Aro’s fault. Aro couldn’t look bad in front of the rest of the coven, he couldn’t look like he made a mistake…it would completely undermine his authority, and his power. And if it was _his fault_ —then he would have to be the one being put on trial. And his crimes…the fact that he kept Ramona a human despite her knowing about vampires, knowing that she had always been a flight risk—not to mention he had let her, as Caius so delicately put it, _“prance about Florence”_ for weeks before she had left.  
  
  
It was hypocritical. The entire thing was completely, fundamentally hypocritical. But Demetri wasn’t saying a word against Aro, wasn’t arguing against him, or bringing up the fact that it was, in so many ways, _more Aro’s fault_ than anybody else’s. He lied to her, and didn’t tell her that he was married. This could have all been avoided if Aro had just been honest with her from the beginning…and if he wasn’t such an arrogant prick.  
  
  
And yet Demetri said nothing. _Why_ — _why isn’t he speaking up for himself?  
  
  
_

She wasn’t just going to stand there and say nothing—  
  
  
“ _Aro_ , be reasonable,” she tried to speak up, walking towards them and away from Corin. Aro looked at her from the corner of his eye but didn’t turn towards her. She could tell he wouldn’t be easily persuaded. “I wasn’t even harmed—”

  
That seemed to trigger something in Aro and he snapped. “ _You_ ** _were_**.”  
  
  
Ramona felt her stomach drop. _Is he…is he referring to Odette?  
  
_  
That was not a conversation that she wanted to have in public.  
  
  
Eyes still stared at her in curiosity, and if possible, she felt a million times smaller than she already was. She swallowed and tried again. “Leaving…it was my fault. It had nothing to do with Demetri—”  
  


“Do you hear how my mate speaks up for you?” Aro asked Demetri coldly, “She is a sweet thing. You do not deserve her sympathy.”  
  
  
“Yes, Master Aro,” Demetri said to the floor, not daring to look up.  
  
  
Her vampire gave her a warning glance.  
  
  
Aro wouldn’t let her take the fall. If Ramona took any responsibility for what had happened, that would be a mark against him, it wouldn’t look good for _Aro._ That the leader of the Volturi had a flighty, skittish, insolent mate that didn’t abide by the rules that he put forward. **No** —Aro couldn’t have that. And Demetri…he was letting himself be the scapegoat, _because…?  
  
_  
 _Because Aro was pivotal to the fabric and survival of the coven.  
  
_  
Aro had told her that once himself, back when they were at the beach— _“nobody else can be trusted to take my place, or do my job as fairly. In my power to reveal all of one’s memories, the truth will never be concealed against us…against my family”._ Ramona didn’t believe that it was all that simple—that Aro was as indispensable as he made himself out to be. But it clearly believed by the two kings, and by Demetri, if he was willing to take the fall for Aro’s mistakes. He clearly believed it about himself, which was why he was fighting so hard to nail down Demetri. Her lover was doing what he thought was best for his coven. Even if it was incredibly selfish, in Aro’s mind…he thought he was doing the right thing.  
  
  
Speaking up against Demetri’s punishment, and blaming herself, was threatening Aro’s position. Ramona looked back up at him; the warning in his eyes was replaced, and he was pleading with her. _He wants you to back him up_ , her mind whispered insistently, _back up your man. Be a good woman and stick by your man.  
  
_ _  
_She’d back him up. But she wouldn’t let him torture her friend for their mistake.  
  
  
Ramona crossed the threshold in front of all of the vampires and crouched next to Demetri. She touched his hand. “Aro, _please_ … I _beg_ of you, Demetri was a friend to me when I first arrived,” she pleaded to her lover. Maybe if she pleaded…maybe if she cried a little, and said please, he’d give her what she wanted. Make it look like he was being considerate to her feelings. That he was being merciful for her sake. She hated begging, more than anything, but…if it meant Demetri’s life? She would swallow her pride and suck it up. “Please forgive Demetri, I am sure he didn’t mean to put my life in danger. He made a terrible decision. But Aro, my _love,_ ** _please_** —”  
  
  
It was all a show. A performance designed to make the rest of the coven think that Aro’s mate was a sweet, sensitive little flower of a human. That she didn’t leave because of him, but because she was a silly, young thing. And that it was all Demetri’s fault because he wasn’t watching Aro’s mate as carefully as he should have been.  
  
  
She didn’t want to look at the rest of the guard. Ramona didn’t want to know how weak they must think she was…she just looked in Aro’s eyes, and willed him to listen to her. To understand that she was sacrificing her integrity for Demetri, and that he _better_ save his life for her.  
  
 _  
_“How _touching_ ,” Caius commented, a devilish smirk gracing his lips. He seemed greatly amused by her performance. He glanced over at Aro. “Your human is a very forgiving creature, Aro. Perhaps **_too forgiving_**.”  
  
  
She could tell Aro was assessing the situation silently, as he observed her and Demetri, his brothers, and the rest of the vampire guard in the room. The rest of the guard seemed to buy into her act. He was determining whether or not this was changing to his favor. Finally, a smile graced his lips for the first time since she had come into the room. “ _Mio dolce amore,”_ he purred, the Italian language flowing so elegantly from his lips to her. He looked to the rest of the guard. “My mate has a tender heart. Come here, _cara mia_ ,” he held out his hand to her, “Your kindness is moving. Touch my hand, I want to see inside your mind.”  
  
  
Ramona remembered how it felt when she first took Aro’s hand. She had gone in for a handshake, and he took her by surprise when he pressed his cool lips to her skin. She wondered how much of her memories and her mind he read in that moment, or did he know everything all at once? Her footsteps echoed in the grand hall as she made her way to the throne, and carefully placed her hand in Aro’s outstretched hand.  
  
  
A private, unsaid discussion passed between the two of them.  
  
  
 _Don’t kill Demetri_ — _I am doing all of this_ ** _for you_** _, please…you have to let him go.  
  
_ _  
_Aro smiled and kissed her hand. “Oh _Mona,_ ” he practically whispered, and he reached out to touch her cheek. She _wanted_ to lean in to his touch, to revel in it like she so often did, but at the moment, she felt unbearably uncomfortable. Aro seemed pleased enough by the situation though. He turned his attention to the other two kings.  
  
  
“My sweet mate has persuaded me to be lenient to our dear Demetri.”  
  
  
Caius looked lazily over at Ramona. “Lenience does not mean without punishment,” he said coldly, “Demetri will need to answer for what he has done.”  
  
  
Marcus finally spoke up. “It has been his first offense. Allow Demetri an opportunity to demonstrate his loyalty to the coven,” he defended the young vampire, and Ramona felt a bit annoyed. He didn’t speak up until Aro already decided that he would be lenient. If he truly felt that way, he should have said something before—  
  
  
Aro nodded as if considering, “And what did you have in mind, my dear brothers?”  
  
  
Ramona watched in interest as both kings took turns reaching out and giving Aro their hand, engaging a silent conversation without the rest of the guard knowing. She thought it was annoying, but she wondered if it was meant to be; it was another way to show off their power and authority over the rest of the guard. Nobody else was allowed to be privy to their deliberation. Everyone would have to wait on baited breath— _well,_ ** _she_** _would, at least_ —while the kings made their verdict.  
  
  
Finally, the dark haired leader spoke up. “Demetri, because of my mate’s sweet plea for your life, and because of your…considerable talent, we have decided to spare your life. You may also remain in the guard, but you will be stripped of your rank and status until you can demonstrate that you _can be trusted_ once again. And you will remain in the castle at all times. You will not leave unless you are on a tracking mission, which, _you can rest assured_ , will be **_abundant_** as you earn back your place in this coven.”  
  
  
And that was it. Demetri would be stripped of his high ranking status and rights that he earned, but he would be _alive_ —well, as alive as a vampire can be. It sucked, but it could have been worse and she was thankful that she didn’t lose her friend forever. She turned from Aro to look at Demetri; he looked shocked, but in a good way. But he didn’t gloat; he knew better than to do that. He kept the solemn expression on his face and nodded, taking the punishment with stride and knowing that he was, in so many ways, fortunate. “Yes Masters, thank you,” and then he glanced over at her, “And I thank your mate, Master Aro. I am grateful for her forgiveness.”  
  
  
Ramona’s stomach was in knots. It was the outcome that she wanted, but somehow, it still felt _so wrong.  
  
  
_

* * *

The outcome of the trial had gone _exactly right;_ exactly the way that Aro had hoped that it would go, and he felt a wave of calm wash over him as that familiar sense of control returned. Reality shaped itself to his desire.  
  
  
When Ramona first asked to go to the trial, his initial reaction was to discourage her. The less that she saw of the king persona that he had to hold in front of his coven, the better; he didn’t want to hurt her, but Aro knew he couldn’t change how he acted in front of his guard. So he would have to be tough on Demetri…even if he didn’t want to be.  
  
  
 _Not that he wasn’t_ ** _royally pissed_** at the tracker. He understood on some level why the young vampire did what he did; he was correct in a way, that if he hadn’t let Ramona leave on her own, if he forced her to stay…she would probably have hated him more for it. And then she would have been pregnant in Florence, without Carlisle already there to care for her…unless he called the doctor to come over, but that would have opened another shit storm of golden eyed disapproval that Aro did not care for the rest of the coven to see either. But then— _who knows what would have happened…if there would have been a different outcome.  
  
_ _  
_Would Odette have been alive? Aro had questioned that quite often, even though he knew that it didn’t do him any good to wonder. But he knew he couldn’t blame Demetri on his daughter’s death, _not really_.  
  
  
If Aro was being honest, in truth he did not want to kill the young tracker. It had taken a _long time_ to find as skilled and talented a tracker as Demetri, and losing him would be a detriment to the guard. And the boy, although he _clearly_ needed to be reminded about the Volturi’s **_most important laws_** , had shown undeniable loyalty over the last few centuries. Finding another tracker as talented as Demetri would take time and energy that could be better spent elsewhere.  
  


And _Ramona_ —well, it was clear that she held a great deal of affection for the boy. Jealousy would have reared its ugly face in Aro’s heart if it wasn’t for the fact that when he read her mind and her heart, it was clear that she considered him nothing more than a friend. Aro had been more than surprised at _how far_ she was willing to defend him in order to save his life. She had _pleaded_ with him. It wasn’t often that she ever said please to him— _except when she deliciously mewled out the word during their more intimate moments_ —so Aro knew that she must have been desperate to go that far.  
  
  
Of course, it was all a show. But it was a performance he enjoyed nonetheless. His ballerina danced a completely new dance, portraying herself as his gentle young mate. And of course, Aro _couldn’t have_ killed his new mate’s friend… _so he_ ** _had_** to be merciful, of course, for _her_ sake. How could anybody criticize Aro’s actions and choices? He was a newly mated vampire, and it was understandable that he would cater to the sweet whims of his human.   
  


Sweet whims of which he could tell she was silently seething about, as they made their way back to his quarters. His normally fiery, strong-willed human made herself look— _in her words_ — **_weak._ ** Embarrassment was bubbling inside of her chest, and Aro felt a bit sorry for putting Ramona through that. He knew that she wasn’t exactly pleased.  
  


He opened the door to the suite—slowly and carefully, because otherwise the damn cat would run out and then they would have to play chase—and Ramona immediately smacked his hand away from her as she stormed in. He sighed, closing the door as he watched her set her hands on her hips, her mouth twist into a frown, and her dark eyes glare at him.  
  
  
“You _owe_ me,” she hissed, “You owe me so fucking much.”  
  
  
Aro raised an eyebrow and stalked towards her slowly, “I am not sure I understand, cara mia, as I have done everything that you asked of me. I spared your friend, Mona.” He couldn’t help but smirk, “ _If anything_ , it might be said that _you_ owe _me_ —”  
  
  
“You and I _both_ know that it isn’t fair to blame Demetri for everything that had happened,” she argued, “That you are as much to blame as anybody else. And I covered for your sorry ass.”  
  
  
 _Ah, the insults_ — _just_ _like old times.  
  
_  
Aro was feeling nostalgic. “I see. And here we are, back in our private quarters. I should have known that I would have received a lashing.” he touched his chest where his heart would have beaten if he was alive. “Okay, carina. I’m ready for it.”  
  
  
Ramona huffed. “Oh _shut up_ ,” she ran a hand through her curls. She sighed loudly, and backed herself against the wall. “Now everybody thinks that I’m a _joke._ ”  
  
  
Aro considered his mate. She looked extremely put out about the entire situation. He crossed the room until he was in front of her, and took her by the chin. She was so _warm_ , her internal heat adding to the fiery spirit that he just couldn’t get enough of. “Since when did you care what others thought about you?” he asked, his red eyes blazing into hers.  
  
  
She bit her lip. “I _don’t_ , but—” her eyes were dancing back and forth as she tried to come up with the words to describe how she felt. “Everyone’s first impression of me now is that I’m some weak, silly girl. _You_ are the leader, the **_master_** , and I’m just your…your what? Girlfriend? Lover? Whatever I am, nobody is going to take me seriously.”  
  
  
“ _I_ take you seriously,” he murmured, as he ran his thumb down her face. “As I have told you before, it does not matter what others think of you. _In_ _here_ ,” he closed the gap between them and pressed against her, “ _I will follow_ ** _your_** _lead.”_ He brushed her hair aside and kissed her neck, drawing a small moan from her. He breathed in her scent; her arousal was _intoxicating_.  
  
  
Her eyes were fluttering as she tried to remain in control. She swallowed. “I’m still not happy about this,” she managed, her own fingers tangling in his dark hair. “And now you’re taking advantage of this situation to become _touchy._ ”  
  
  
Aro hummed, “Forgive me, carina,” he stopped kissing her and looked at her seriously. “I do not want you to think I am taking advantage of you.” His voice became deeper, _huskier,_ and he practically growled out the next words, “ _Tell me_ what you would like from me.”  
  
  
Ramona stared into his eyes, no sound or movement except for the rapid rise and fall of her chest against his. Finally, she looked down at his chest, and she slowly began to untie his tie. When it was undone, she ran her hand along the expensive silk and licked her lips. She then put a hand on his shoulder and Aro immediately understood, and he let her lower himself down so he was in between her legs. He groaned, pressing his face against her thighs. And then he saw nothing, and he realized that she covered his eyes with the tie. Aro heard the sound of her shuffling, as she removed her panties and hiked up her skirt. The hand that fisted the tie at the back of his head guided him forward.  
  
  
“Kiss me there,” she told him. He leaned forward blindly until his nose pressed against her hot cunt and he sighed, nuzzling into her. Ramona gasped at the sensation. Aro began to innocently press kisses around her opening, sucking her delicate skin and trying to draw forth more sounds from her pretty mouth. He dipped his tongue into her wet folds, and revelled in her reactions; even though he was blind, he could feel every twitch, hear every gasp, _taste_ her wetness against his tongue.  
  
  
He ran the flat of his tongue from her cunt to her clit, teasing the sensitive nub before delving inside her. Her hand tightened on the tie and she pushed his head deeper inside. Her thoughts were _wild,_ and her lust did nothing but encourage him to continue.   
  


The vampire was lost in it as he buried himself in between her thighs, allowing himself to lose control and let her lead him on and encourage him. In between her gasps and moans of pleasure, Ramona’s voice moaned out directions, “ _Ngk,_ ** _deeper_** —”, “ ** _Faster_** —”, “ _Oh my_ ** _fucking_** **_god_** —”. Aro growled but kept control; _he’d be her fucking god_ —  
  
  
The inner beast within him was screaming to take control and take it up a notch, but he ignored it; he was going to focus on her pleasure tonight, and just hers—he would get his eventually. But he didn’t want to ruin it.  
  
  
He could feel her thighs begin to shake and he reached forward and cupped her ass underneath her skirt for support. Her pussy was soaked and her skin was sweaty and he groaned into her, sending vibrations up and throughout her entire body. “ _Fuck!”_ she screamed, and she rocked up into his mouth and came hard underneath his tongue.   
  


He lapped up all of the juices that flowed from inside her as she orgasmed, blissful cries of delight echoing throughout the room. _So lovely_ , he thought to himself, and he squeezed her ass to release the pent up pressure he felt in his own body, and release the desire building to knock her over and take her on the floor.  
  
  
Aro lifted the tie from his eyes and peeked up at her. Her cheeks were flushed an attractive shade of pink, and her pupils were dilated in her wide eyes that were staring down at him in ecstasy. He felt a swell of pride as he took in her pleasured form. “And how many climaxes would my sweet mate like to enjoy tonight?”  
  
  
She took a shuddering breath. Ramona removed the tie from his face completely and let it drift onto the floor. She ran her fingers through his hair. “Until I feel repaid for earlier.”  
  
  
He dived back in for more.  
  
  


* * *

In the days following the trial, Ramona hadn’t seen even a glimpse of Demetri around the castle, no matter how much she snooped. _And she snooped_ —Aro had been spending a lot of time with her, but when he wasn’t around, she took advantage of the time she had on her own and explored the castle. She could call for Corin, who was to be her escort, and she talk to her about the grounds and about paintings and statues that she saw, answering her thousands of questions with patience. Which she was grateful of. Being in Aro’s room all day, although it was grand and lovely, made her dreadfully bored, and even though she knew Carilsle wanted her to sit and rest and do nothing, she didn’t think that roaming the castle qualified as particularly strenuous activity.  
  
  
 _Besides, one more week and then I’m back at work_ , she thought to herself. It would be good to dance again, she decided. It would give her a sense of normalcy in her now very strange life.  
  
  
Though things were picking back up for her and Aro. While they hadn’t necessarily _done the deed_ yet, they had begun to reintroduce intimacy into their relationship and it _felt amazing._ Aro, despite his many, _many_ irritating and self-centered qualities, was not a selfish lover, by any means. _His one redeeming quality_ —she joked to herself.   
  


One day, after she had been lounging in the suite all day relaxing, she opened the door so she could head down to the kitchens and grab some food. A flash of grey fur sped out before she could stop him, and she cursed as she watched George scuttle down the hall. Ramona cursed to whatever God that was listening that she got a cat that was as much of a flight risk as she was; like some bad humored form of karma.  
  
  
“ _George!”_ she yelled as she ran after him down the halls, not bothering to check and see if anybody was around that could help her. She followed the cat down the wing, down a large spiral set of stairs, into a part of the castle that she hadn’t been to before. In the back of her mind she knew she should be concerned; whenever she had left the room to explore parts of the castle she hadn’t been to, she had always been with Aro or Corin. Now she was alone.  
  
  
She must have been in the lower part of the castle. George was still running from her at top speed, no matter how many calls or kisses she tried to get his attention with. As she turned a corner, she froze as she heard voices nearby, and then she heard her name—  
  
  
“ _Of course_ Master Aro involved himself with _another_ weak female,” a feminine voice chimed. Ramona’s stomach twisted uncomfortably. “He _clearly_ has a type—”  
  
  
“I wonder if he’ll stick this one up in a tower too—” another voice laughed.  
  
  
“He’s too busy sticking her up with _something else!”_ a girlish squeal followed, and an eruption of giggling came soon after. Ramona felt herself warm in embarrassment— _they talking about you like you’re a joke,_ her mind mocked.   
  


“ **Enough** ,” a younger sounding voice came, and she felt herself feel a brush of relief as the giggling immediately stopped. “Instead of gossiping like a bunch of children, the two of you could be doing something useful. Besides, if the human _is_ our master’s mate, I am certain that he would not appreciate your disrespect…”  
  
  
Ramona’s heart began to beat faster as her cat began to creep closer to where the voices were coming from. _Fuck.  
  
_ _  
_“Oh _come off it,_ Jane,” whined one of the females, “We’re just having a laugh.”  
  


“She’s actually not that bad,” a familiar male voice spoke up, and she realized it was Felix that was speaking. “I think she’s just going through a rough time right now. Because… _you know_ —”  
  
  
George saved her from having to listen to the rest of the conversation, which she knew was headed in a direction that she was absolutely not comfortable hearing other people talk about, by entering the room. He meowed happily at the group of vampires, who immediately stopped their conversation to look at the furry little intruder. Ramona held her breath.  
  
  
“ ** _How_** _does that cat keep getting out?_ ” an unfamiliar male voice complained.  
  
  
Ramona realized that it was probably the best time to introduce herself and get the cat, before they realized she was eavesdropping on their conversation. She took a deep breath and strolled forward until she reached a large lounge like area, where five vampires were sitting together, sprawled out on the couches. Three female vampires, and two males, one of which was Felix who she already knew. Ten strange red eyes glanced over at her and she strengthened her resolve not to show any fear. They were going to talk about her behind her back? _They didn’t even know her.  
  
_ _  
_“His name is George,” she spoke up, and she reached down to scoop the cat up in her arms. “And I accidentally let him out, he keeps escaping.”  
  
  
“Sounds like someone else we know,” Felix smirked, clearly referring to her.  
  
  
Ramona held her ground. “Well…anyways, if he ever pops up around the castle again, please get him and put him back in our quarters,” she said awkwardly, trying to sound confident but feeling like she was failing miserably. _Don’t apologize to them_ — _whatever you do or say,_ ** _don’t_** _say “sorry”.  
  
_

“Sounds easy enough,” one of the girls said. She was gorgeous, Ramona realized, with long chestnut hair that curled in tendrils down to her chest. “I’m Heidi, by the way. And this is Renata,” she motioned to the other female, who was just as pretty, “Jane, Alec, and, you know Felix—”  
  
  
“Right,” she nodded, fidgeting slightly under their gaze, “I’m Ramona. It is nice to meet all of you—” she wasn’t sure what else to say. She had no intention of hanging out with a bunch of vampires who were only mere seconds ago making fun of her. She pet George’s soft fur to keep her calm. “ _Anyways,_ I should get this little guy back upstairs—”  
  
  
“Do you need an escort?” the smallest vampire, the girl named Jane, said. She glanced over at the other youngest looking vampire, a boy of about fourteen. “Alec, go escort her back to her quarters.” The boy, Alec, made a groaning sound, reminding her of a typical teenager. _Immortals they may be, but they’re still children_ —  
  
  
“No, I’m fine,” Ramona insisted, hoping she sounded sure of herself. “I know my way back.”  
  
  
“I’m surprised you don’t have Corin escorting you—” Renata murmured, and she glanced over at Heidi and they shared a secretive smile, like they were finding something particularly amusing. Ramona’s jaw twitched, as she realized they were sharing some inside joke. _What is it about Corin that everyone seems to have a problem with_ —she thought to herself. First it was Demetri’s dirty look at the red haired vampire, now the two females in front of her mentioned the vampire like she was something rather humorous.  
  
  
“Well, I don’t.” she cut her off. Ramona hugged the cat tighter to her chest, and realizing she had nothing else to say, began to walk away from the group. Besides the clicking of her boots against the ground as she left, she immediately heard a rush of giggles and laughter coming from the two girls back in the lounge.  
  
  
 _Since when do you care what others think of you_ —Aro’s voice rang in her head like a mantra. She didn’t want to care. But she did….and she hated it. She hated Volterra. 

* * *

**Do I need to write any Italian translations? I'm trying to remember what I already translated and I can't remember...I think it should be all set though.**

**ANYWAYS - If you guys have been waiting for Demetri, there he is...just a little bit of him, though. He's still on probation for pissing Aro off. Poor thing.**

**  
So what do you guys think of the rest of the guard, Corin, etc.?**

**  
Also, I hope you guys don't mind me just throwing explicit scenes in randomly. I don't usually even ever have them planned, they just sneak up on me and then BOOM, THERE IT IS.**


	32. Ballet and Betrayals

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HEY. So I'm posting this at 1AM which is RIDICULOUS, because I have work in 6 HOURS (Working at 730AM) but APPARENTLY this is what I'm doing so that's a thing- I wanted to post this as soon as possible (I LITERALLY JUST FINISHED THE CHAPTER), and since I won't be home tomorrow until 4, and I am likely going to go out after to see my boyfriend, I wanted to get this up sooner rather than later.
> 
> BUT IT'S OKAY. I DRANK A MANGO LOCO MONSTER AND IT WAS DELICIOUS AND I'M AWAKE.
> 
> And I'm going to be exhausted by the end of my shift tomorrow! lol
> 
> ANYWAYS - Enjoy the chapter!!! Finally, something is happening that I know some of you have been WAITING FOR and ASKING FOR and baby, I DELIVERED IT. At least I think so...I hope so...I hope you like it! lol I hope it is what you imagined and wanted...because like, I'm not going back and changing it.
> 
> I want to reiterate how much I love and appreciate ALL OF YOU. Your reviews are everything to me and make me so happy and I love knowing that you guys are enjoying reading this story as much as I'm enjoying writing it. Plus you guys give me so many great ideas and are helping to make this story what it is, which is AWESOME! We are eventually going to reach the end game...I SEE AN ENDING IN SIGHT! You might not see it, but I do...it's a bit far away, but we are slowly getting there. XOXO. 
> 
> (OH, ALSO, Warning: This chapter is ALL RAMONA. Sorry if you guys miss Aro. He's in this chapter a little bit, and he'll be in the next chapter quite a bit, but this chapter is all from Ramona's point of view.)

* * *

_  
\- One week later -  
_

Ramona was awoken by the shrill beeping and buzzing of her cellphone’s alarm, and in annoyance, she pressed the snooze button on reflex. But only five minutes later the alarm was ringing again, and reality settled in the front of her mind as she realized— _she had work today!  
  
_ _  
_In a tired daze, she reached over and looked at the time. **7:30AM.  
  
** **  
**She needed to be at the ballet studio in an hour.  
  
 _  
_“Shit!” she cursed, as she scrambled out of the bed. Aro was lying in bed, naked and seemingly undisturbed, and she glared over at him. “You couldn’t have woken me up?”  
  
  
Aro rolled over and tried to look as innocent as possible. “I thought I would let you sleep in a little, cara mia,” he cooed, “You looked so peaceful sleeping.”  
  
  
Ramona rolled her eyes, “I’ll barely have time to shower now,” she mumbled, and she stormed into the ensuite without giving Aro another look. She was in the shower for no less than two minutes before she was promptly joined by a very cold and _very hard_ male body pressed against her back. Ramona scowled. “There isn’t enough time—”  
  
  
“ _I’m a vampire_ ,” he purred in her ear, as his hands began to travel downward. She frowned as he gave her butt a squeeze. “I can make it quick for you.” He nuzzled against her neck. “ _I know what you like_ —”  
  


“Wake me up earlier next time,” she sang, and swatted him away. She heard him growl deep in his chest and she smirked and grabbed the shampoo bottle. “You can wash my hair if you want. _That’s it._ ”  
  
  
He grumbled a bit, but as she placed the bottle in his hand, she felt victorious as he shortly began to scrub and massage the nice smelly shampoo into her curls. As she washed her body with a loofah, she hummed happily. “Are you going to miss me today?”  
  
  
“I am going to miss you an _extraordinary_ amount, cara mia,” he turned her around and lifted her chin up so his lips could meet hers. She sighed lovingly into the kiss. “Don’t dance too hard, love, take it easy today—”  
  
  
Ramona huffed and gave her lover a light slap on the butt. “I’m going to come home exhausted today,” she grinned up at Aro, “But fortunately, I have a nice, caring, _strong_ man to come back home to that will take care of me…”  
  
  
“Oh? _Is that so?_ ” he purred, and as he brought her closer to his body. “If you insist.”  
  


She shivered as he pressed his lips hard and longing against her own, and she relaxed into it and let him feel every single bit of emotion she was feeling that morning.  
  
  
She was excited to go back to work, but she knew she’d miss him. Ramona channeled that into her kiss, into the front of her mind, as with every caress of his hands against her body she knew he was reading her thoughts. _This is feels right again_ , she thought, in between kiss after kiss after kiss, _I love you, I love you, I love you_ —  
  
  
She didn’t have to read his mind to know he was thinking and saying it back.   
  


* * *

Walking back into a ballet studio after being away for so long felt surreal for Ramona— _well, not all that long, in reality it had only been a few weeks, but for Ramona who had been dancing since childhood, it felt like forever._ She had been to the ballet studio on a weekly basis since she was a teenager. It felt good to be back, and she embraced the familiar routine that put her mind back at ease and in a state of equilibrium.  
  
  
Ramona fielded questions left and right from the other dancers who were excited to see her return. But Signora Ionetti told them to leave her alone, and she welcomed her back in a stern but kind manner. The program director announced that morning that they would begin the auditions for Coppelia at the beginning of next week. Ramona would be auditioning with the rest of the soloists for the role of Swanhilda, which she didn’t dare dream of getting. She was the new girl, the American, and she had been out for three weeks now while everyone else had been busy practicing and dancing. _But_ she would be more than happy to just to get to dance again in a ballet production.  
  
 _  
__Still,_ her mind sparkled full of hope, _it doesn’t hurt to try_ —  
  
  
As the dancers all rehearsed and went over different routines and exercises for the day, Ramona found herself becoming close with two other dancers. Sara and Claudia, both tall, tan, and skinny, were super friendly to her and got her all caught up on everything that she missed while she was away. They both spoke decent English as well, which she appreciated because her Italian was _very rusty_ after not needing to speak it for weeks.  
  
  
At the end of the day, Ramona’s body felt like it was falling apart and every core muscle of hers was screaming in pain. Signora Ionetti wanted to see more of her pointe, and thus she would be returning home with blistered and bleeding toes. But there was something about it, despite the pain, that flourished a sense of pride and accomplishment within her once again. Every ache a reminder of _you’re still you, and you still got this_ —  
  
  
She was exchanging phone numbers with Sara and Claudia— _she didn’t quite know how that would work, and she hadn’t had a conversation with Aro yet about getting back her cellphone, but she didn’t think it was too much to ask for human friends_ —when she felt a light tap on her shoulder. The ballerina turned around to see the familiar charming smile of Luca, the maestro from her audition.  
  
  
“Glad to have you back, _Americana_ ,” he grinned, his hazel eyes warm and soft and full of _interest._ She blushed and shifted awkwardly. His interest, while flattering, was unreciprocated…no matter _how_ cute he was—with his boyish, flirty smile, and wavy, chocolate locks, and _those dimples_ —  
  
  
Ramona shook her head. Those thoughts were **_more than unwelcome_** in her headspace.  
  
  
Especially considering she had a boyfriend who could read her mind whenever he felt particularly touchy.  
  
  
Which, incidentally, was quite often as of late.  
  
  
 _Not that she was complaining.  
  
_ _  
_She managed a small smile, “Thanks,” she replied, not wanting to sound rude and trying not to look at him directly at the same time. “It’s good to be back.”  
  
  
The handsome maestro’s grin grew even larger, showing off his dimples. _Ugh, so cute_ — “I think some of us were talking about going out tonight…if you’re interested?”  
  
  
“NO—” she responded immediately and _way too loudly_. Noticing that he was taken aback by her answer, she tried to redo the exchange. “I mean…sorry, I can’t. I have plans for tonight.”  
  
  
“Probably with her **_hot_** _beau_ —” Sara teased playfully, causing Claudia to giggle in girlish delight. But this girlish giggling was different from what the fits she heard from Heidi and Renata—she was in on the joke, and it was fun, and good natured. _Unlike those undead bitches_ , she thought darkly. She laughed along with the girls; it felt good to have friends again, and it felt unbelievably _human._ Luca, for all of his boyish charm and self-assurance, appeared put out.  
  
  
“Ah, well…” he looked lost in thought as he tried to figure out what to say next. “Some other time then—”  
  
  
Ramona nodded…despite knowing that there would likely never be “some other time” and that she would never go out with Luca. While Aro had never explicitly said anything, she had a sneaking suspicion that her lover was the jealous type. His behavior when she was around Demetri, who was clearly just a friend, was enough to cast a shadow of jealousy and sheer possessiveness of a much _baser instinct_ she was not used to seeing from Aro.  
  
  
 _Although_ —considering he was a nasty little cheater himself in regards to his wife, Aro hardly held any moral high ground to go off of.  
  
  
Still, Ramona had no desire to go and poke the proverbial bear.  
  
  
Especially considering she really had nobody else back at the castle to rely on. Since Demetri was out of commission. And Corin—  
  
  
Well, she still had mixed feelings about the woman.  
  
  
Speaking of the redheaded vampire, Corin was there waiting for her outside the studio when she finally left that evening. She was a bit disappointed. Ramona had thought that since it was her first day back at the studio, and she hadn’t seen Aro since the morning— _those ten hours were the longest she had been apart from Aro, besides being asleep, since they returned to Volterra_ —she thought he’d want to escort her back himself.  
  


 _Apparently not_ , she thought bitterly, as she made her way to the friendly ginger.   
  


“Ramona!” the vampire smiled brightly, and a wave of happiness washed over her immediately as she reached her, despite the previous displeasure at it not being Aro. The redhead looked her up and down. “Wow, you must have really…worked really hard!” she tried to sound enthusiastic. Ramona knew that was a nice way to put that she was a sweaty disaster. How Luca found her attractive enough in this state to invite her out was beyond her comprehension. She gave a forced smile.  
  
  
“I did,” she answered, as she reflected on her first day back to work. Being back in the studio, the sound of the music, the smoothness of the beam on her fingers, the nostalgic sense of pain in her toes; she felt the stresses of her life become lifted as she danced them away. Every fiber of her body wanted to listen to the music, to move to it—called her back like an old friend. And back in the studio, with the other dancers, and the program director watching her as her body tapped back into the familiar rhythm…she felt like she was home again. And admired, as they complimented her grace and form, treating her with respect that she wasn’t given back at the castle by her peers there.  
  
  
Ramona smiled. “I had a really great first day back,” she said out loud. Because she did…she truly did. _This is what humanity is worth keeping for_ , she thought to herself, as she walked back to the castle with Corin. _Immortality can wait just a little longer. I have goals to accomplish first.  
  
_ _  
_Unbeknownst to her, as well as to the vampire who was focusing all of her attention and energy on the small human next to her, they were being watched by a pair of curious and unamused red eyes. Belonging to someone who knew that she would have to wait for the right moment to make her presence known to the ballerina.  
  
  


* * *

It was next Monday, the day of the auditions for Coppelia, and Ramona’s stomach felt a mess of emotions as the morning rolled on to the afternoon and the time came closer to her scheduled time to audition. She was one of the last soloists to audition for Signora Ionetti, and after seeing Sara’s performance, she knew that her friend was likely going to get the role. The striking brunette moved effortlessly, but she held such a fun charm and quirky charisma that she knew would be perfect for the role of Swanhilda. Still, Ramona was determined to at least try her best; even if she didn’t get the lead, there were a lot of other solo roles she could get if she had a good enough performance.  
  


As she got ready to begin her performance, she saw Luca smile and wink at her from across the room on his piano, but she ignored him and tried to focus on the routine. She was aware of herself, of every muscle in her body, every ligament and joint. The music began, and she could feel the music flow through her; she noticed the rises and falls in the music, the pauses…she allowed it to guide her through the routine, as she moved with pose and precision. Her body, though still a bit softer from her pregnancy, was still graceful, her legs were still strong and balanced. As she performed the solo variation from Act III, she could feel herself fly through the dance, as if she was walking on air. However, Ramona knew that her jump fouettes and pirouettes needed to be restrengthened; she almost fell at the end, and one slip could make the difference between landing a good spot or not.  
  
  
The audition went about as well as Ramona could have hoped for, considering that she had been out of practice for almost a month. Signora Ionetti was tough, but fair; she gave praise when Ramona did something very well, and criticism when it was well deserved. At the end of the day, she changed into clean clothes and headed out of the studio, ducking away to avoid Luca or anyone else who wanted to chat…she was exhausted, and just wanted to go back to the castle and go to sleep early.   
  


When she left the studio, she immediately knew something was wrong; there was a noticeable lack of red eyed companion waiting for her outside. Geneally, Corin or Aro— _more often that not Corin, unfortunately_ —would be there to escort her back to the castle. But neither of them were there; she looked around in confusion, checking left and right and across the street to see if she simply missed them. _But they were nowhere to be seen_ —  
  
  
A tap on her shoulder brought back her focus. “Are you looking for someone?” came the rich Italian accent of Luca’s, and she turned around to see the dark haired man smiling at her. She frowned; he was _not_ helping with her current issue.  
  
  
“I—” she tried to come up with an excuse as she continued to search the busy streets of Florence to see if she saw either vampire, “I’m waiting for my friend…we were going to walk back to my apartment together.”  
  
  
“Well, I can walk you back if you want—”  
  
  
“ _That won’t be necessary,”_ an unfamiliar yet melodious voice answered, and Ramona turned to see an unfamiliar woman walking towards her. The woman, statuesque and beautiful with long blonde waves and porcelain skin, strode towards her confidently like she knew her. Her eyes were covered by sunglasses, which as she turned away from Luca’s vision, she nudged down to reveal the startling but familiar crimson eyes that Ramona had come to associate with vampires. The blonde winked at her, covered her eyes, and smiled at the human. “I’m here! You can go now—”  
  
  
Ramona was confused. She did not know the woman, but it was clear that she knew her…perhaps she was another member of the guard that she didn’t meet yet? But most of the guard were at the trial, and she didn’t remember seeing her there…  
  
  
“Are you sure—?” Luca asked, and Ramona cast him a dirty look.  
  
  
“I’m _fine_ ,” she answered sharply, and as if to prove her point she linked her arms with the unknown vampire. Not her smartest moment, considering she didn’t know the woman, but it was better than entertaining Luca’s infatuation. She cast a quick glance at the vampire. “Let’s go,” she announced, and they began to walk away from the ballet studio. Towards where? _She didn’t know_ —  
  
  
After a few minutes of walking as they gained distance from the studio, Ramona finally untangled herself from the blonde’s grip and frowned at her. “Okay— ** _who are you_**?” she asked, stepping away from her and looking around. It wasn’t the smartest idea to leave the area where Aro knew she would be to be with a random, unknown vampire, but…well, he wasn’t there. And neither was Corin. They were on the bridge overlooking the Arno river, and Ramona felt a little safer as there were a good amount of people and tourists walking by them. She leaned against the side of the bridge. “Are you…are you from the Volturi? Where’s Aro or Corin?” she looked at the blonde suspiciously. The vampire smirked and joined her, looking out at the still water of the Arno river.  
  
  
“I am no longer a member of the Volturi,” she answered, with a wistful look on her face. She removed her sunglasses and peered at Ramona, studying her intensely; her eyes traveled up and down every angle of her face, down her body…Ramona twitched uncomfortably. The vampire smiled. “Which I have you to thank for…”  
  
  
The girl frowned. _She_ ** _isn’t_** _in the Volturi, that’s why I haven’t seen her_ , she thought to herself. _But she was?_ “What do you mean, **_thanks to me?_** I don’t even know you. Who—?”  
  
  
The vampire laughed, a spellbinding sound that Ramona couldn’t help but feel drawn to. _She’s so beautiful_ , she thought to herself. “ _Of course_ you don’t know me, I do not imagine Aro would enjoy that awkward scenario, he _so_ ** _despises_** anything that draws attention to his foolishness.” she chuckled, “I’m Sulpicia…his wife.”  
  
  
Ramona was sure that she must have been gaping like a fish, because the vampire quickly continued. “Well, _soon-to-be ex-wife_ …once the divorce papers are settled. Which should hopefully be rather soon, because I have **_no desire_** to remain in Italy for much longer. But Aro and that damn lawyer are being rather difficult—”  
  
  
Her mind was spinning a thousand miles a second and about a million questions popped in Ramona’s head. Sulpicia… _this_ was Sulpicia. This beautiful, enchanting, and mesmerizing blonde haired woman that looked like a walking angel…was Aro’s ex wife. The woman that he left for Ramona.  
  
  
It didn’t make _any sense.  
  
_ _  
_She blinked, trying to let her brain get caught up to the reality of the moment. She was talking with Aro’s ex-wife— ** _almost_** _ex-wife_ , that is. Aro cheated on the beautiful vampire…with her. Shame and embarrassment bubbled up in her gut. “I’m sorry.” she word-vomited, unable to come up with any other response in that moment. The vampire raised her eyebrows in surprise. Ramona swallowed, and tried to gain her courage. “I’m sorry,” she repeated. “I’m sorry I had an affair with your husband.”  
  
  
Sulpicia shrugged, seemingly unbothered. “I know that you were unaware of our marriage,” she looked towards the sky, “You are not the one at fault. You were equally harmed by Aro’s actions.”  
  
  
 ** _True_** , she thought to herself, feeling a little better that the vampire didn’t seem to have any animosity towards her. Still…it didn’t make what happened right. “We were both screwed over,” Ramona affirmed, “But what he did to you…I just want to let you know, it wasn’t right. And I’m still sorry about it. Aro…he’s made a lot of mistakes.”  
  
  
Sulpicia hummed thoughtfully. “Yes, he has,” she smirked, but didn’t elaborate. The blonde looked at the ballerina curiously. “You remain with Aro, even though he is a vampire?”  
  


It was an uncomfortable question that Ramona knew that she would have to answer eventually. She hated it, and hated what Aro was, _but_ — “We don’t talk about it much,” was all she could offer. Because it was the truth, they _didn’t_ talk about Aro’s diet all that much. Ramona made jokes with him about him eating her cat, but they both knew that wasn’t what he usually consumed. The truth was so much **darker** …and difficult to process, when she was trying to process _everything else_ about the man she loved. 

  
That seemed to spark interest in Sulpicia. “That is very interesting,” was all she offered, and she continued looking at the water, as if the water was calling to her. Ramona looked out as well, hoping that it would give her answers. She desperately wanted to change the direction of the conversation away from Aro’s choice of sustenance.  
  
  
“Where is Aro or Corin anyway?” she asked, and she noticed Sulpicia’s face shift to one of annoyance at the mention of those names. “One of them usually escorts me back to the castle…”  
  
  
“I have an associate distracting dear Corin so we can have this conversation,” Sulpicia explained conspiratorially, “My friend has a…gift in the art of distraction. She won’t bother us. Or in particular, won’t bother _you_. The fact that Aro has already placed you in Corin’s clutches is _exhausting._ The man has _breathtaking_ **control issues**.”  
  
  
Well, _that’s undeniably accurate_ , Ramona thought to herself. But she remained confused. “What’s wrong with Corin?” she asked. She needed to know. This was the third time that she noticed a negative strike made against the redheaded vampire. Demetri’s glare, Renata and Heidi’s mocking comment, and now Sulpicia…there was something wrong with the vampire that Aro assigned to her.  
  
  
“ _I will feel much better knowing you are under the care of Corin.”_ he told her.  
  
  
But why—  
  
  
“I see that you are unaware of Corin’s…talents,” Sulpicia’s face turned into one that was eerily close to pity, and she decided she hated it. Ramona despised pity. “Dear Corin has a particular gift of making people feel… _content_ with their situation. Taking away all of life’s discomforts, or bothers, or concerns.”  
  
  
Ramona blinked. _Makes them feel content?_ “So…it’s mind control? She makes you feel content even in bad situations?” Her stomach was starting to twist as her brain began to think of the implications of such a gift.  
  
  
Corin took away people’s emotional integrity. _Her_ emotional integrity.  
  
  
Making everything that she was feeling…a lie?  
  
  
“I had Corin assigned to me for _many, many years_. After Aro and Caius practically locked myself and Athendora up in the North Wing Towers, she was assigned to keep us content with our situations. So that we wouldn’t feel bored, or upset,” Ramona noticed the vampire’s jaw twitch slightly, “or _want to leave._ ”  
  
  
“They—,” her head was starting to hurt, “he—Aro locked you in a tower?”  
  
  
“For almost four hundred years,” Sulpicia whispered. “And Corin was our attendant. Aro said it was to keep us happy, but, really…Corin is nothing but a sedative personified. To keep us drugged with the feeling of contentedness. And then when we were without her, everything came crashing down like a wave of withdrawal and we needed her to continue to keep us content or we would go _crazy_ from our loneliness. From the horrible situation of being kept away from the rest of the guard, and only seeing our husbands when they felt fit to visit us. Although, Caius was always a more generous and loving mate to Athendora than Aro was to me.” She looked at Ramona thoughtfully, “Although I suppose that’s because we were not meant to be.”  
  
  
Ramona’s stomach was twisting in pain and her heart was hammering and it all was _too much,_ and she leaned against the cold stone to keep herself from falling. Emotions were swelling up inside of her and she couldn’t believe what she was hearing. What Sulpicia just told her… _was_ ** _horrible._** It was far worse than anything she expected Aro’s ex-wife to tell her; she imagined she would be angry with Ramona, scream or yell at her, call her a homewrecker…but _no.  
  
  
_ She told her a far worse truth—  
  
  
Her face must have been the image of horror because Sulpicia softly took her hand in hers; it was stone cold, just like Aro’s, and it didn’t help Ramona feel any better. “Perhaps Aro has changed. After all, he has allowed you more leeway and freedom in the last month than he has allowed me in the last four hundred years. He clearly holds an affection for you that he hadn’t for me,” her grip on her hand tightened, “ _Still_ —Aro is over a thousand years old. Old dogs do not often learn new tricks.”  
  
  
Ramona tried her best to hold on to the sliver of positivity that the blonde offered her. Everything that she thought she knew about Aro was coming apart at the seams and she felt like she was drowning in self doubt. But Sulpicia…she didn’t know everything either. And maybe she deserved to know— “We had a child.” she blurted out. Sulpicia’s eyes widened at the confession. Ramona’s heart was hanging on by that single little thread, by the thing that would forever bind her to Aro despite everything. Nothing could change the fact that they had Odette and shared the pain of her death. “We lost her.”  
  
  
She could tell Sulpicia was processing that information. Finally, she uttered a phrase that threatened to finally crush Ramona’s heart. “Perhaps that was for the best,” she said sadly. “I am sorry for your loss. But…at least…you are not bound to him forever, if you do not want to be.”  
  
  
Ramona found it hard to breathe. “I know…I know he’s done _so many horrible things_ , and I’m not saying what he has done is okay, but—” she tried, she tried and tried and tried to come up with a good reason as to why she wanted to stay with Aro. Why she needed to be with him. Why they worked _so amazingly_ together, and why it was so right despite it being so, _so wrong_ on so many levels. “I love him,” she finally answered pathetically.  
  
  
Sulpicia looked unimpressed. “Aro is easy to love.” she replied. “But Aro falls victim to his own selfishness and ego and forgets _how_ to love back. Do not worry, I have no desire to get back with Aro,” she sighed, “for the first time in four hundred years, I finally feel like myself again. I do not envy you, if you are to share my fate. Perhaps you won’t…but Aro feeds on control and he will continue to lie and keep things from you in order to _keep you safe_ if you allow it and do not put an end to it now.”  
  
  
Ramona tried to imagine what it would be like to be locked away in a tower…to waste away while waiting for Aro to come to see her and give her attention. She wanted to be with Aro, but…she needed _so much more_. The fate that Sulpicia painted sounded like a nightmare. A betrayal to everything that Ramona once dreamed, and shared with Aro that she dreamed.   
  


Sulpicia shook her head, blonde hair streaming down like waves upon her shoulders. “And get rid of Corin. If you want to hold on to any remaining part of yourself.” her voice became strong and tough, as hard as stone.  
  
  
She thought about the vampire, whose power acted like a narcotic designed to keep her content with even the worst situations. _How much has her power already affected me,_ she wondered. “No,” she agreed, and she squeezed Sulpicia’s hand to demonstrate her gratitude. “Corin will no longer be used to keep me, _or anybody else_ , manipulated by the Volturi kings.”  
  
  
Sulpicia did not look so confident in that statement. “A commendable purpose,” she murmured, and she finally let go of Ramona’s hand. She put her sunglasses back on and brushed down her long, beautiful coat. “You are free now. To choose what you want to do, Corin will continue to be distracted by my companion until I tell him otherwise. If you _do_ go back to the castle, you can go back yourself, without Corin hovering over your shoulder.” She began to walk away, ready to head off forever.  
  
  
Ramona watched her leave with mixed emotions— _what the hell am I going to do now?  
  
_  
The blonde vampire turned around one last time. “When you go back to Volterra, I suggest that when you enter the main foyer with the receptionist, you turn down the hall to the left. At the very end of the hall, there is a door to the right, it should be unlocked.” She cocked her head thoughtfully at Ramona. “You should look inside it.” And then she didn’t say another word, offering no further explanation, and disappeared into the crowd of busy, ignorant humans.  
  
  
The ballerina’s path led her back to the castle. Her heart was screaming with the ache of betrayal, far more tortuous and painful than the pain she felt in her feet from hours of dance, and each step more difficult for a completely new and terrible reason.  
  
  


* * *

**And Sulpicia came in, dropped a nice big load of horrible information about Aro into Ramona's lap, and then peaced out like the Queen she is.**

  
**Ramona's having a bad couple months guys...  
  
  
What do you think is going to happen next??? Remember, everything I write is intentional, so something in the past might come back up to haunt Aro again?? Also Luca is back (told you everything is intentional), where do you think HE'LL fit in to all of this nonsense?**

**  
Also, I hope that you don't mind that I skipped into the future quite a bit (well, really one week. Now that we are starting to reach the end game and stuff like that, I won't be discussing every single day and might skip every few days or weeks or so as needed to move the story forward). We can all assume that Ramona had a pretty normal rest of the week off and relaxed as much as possible before she started going back to ballet. I may touch upon Ramona's interaction with Heidi and Renata and Aro's reaction to that a bit in the next chapter, but that's not as important a plot point as some of the others that I want to get to, so it's kinda being placed on the back burner for now until I find it important to bring up again. Especially now that we FINALLY reached THIS plot point, which I've been waiting for SO LONG (Especially excited for what is to happen in the next chapter-)**

**  
Hope you all enjoyed this chapter. The next few should be a doozy-**


	33. What He had Done for Her

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Friday!!!
> 
> I'm so proud of myself for getting this chapter out before the weekend! And I'm already working on the next chapter, so double excitement...!! 
> 
> This chapter...sigh. I don't know how all of you are still dealing with me and enjoying my story lol I love you all and appreciate that you let me make this crazy, intense story with this labile AF relationship. I promise it will be worth it, I PROMISE, I SWEAR I WON'T LET YOU ALL DOWN. JUST LET ME FUCK AROUND A BIT NOW lol
> 
> Anyways, I love and appreciate you!! <3 <3 <3

* * *

Ramona always found that the decisions that she ended up making in life were more than often not the ones that she planned on making. Take, for example, her return to Volterra following the earth-shattering revelations that Aro’s ex-wife told her. She had been prepared to storm into the castle in a blaze of fury, finding Aro and giving him a piece of her mind. But when she finally got into the castle, and reached the main hall with the receptionist, she stopped in her tracks. Sulpicia’s final words echoed in her mind.  
  
  
 _At the very end of the hall, there is a door to the right, it should be unlocked_ — _You should look inside it.  
  
_  
It was an odd request, one that she would have ignored so that she could go straight to chewing Aro out, but… _something_ about it called to her. _Why did Sulpicia think she needed to see what was in this room?  
  
_  
 _What on earth could Aro be hiding that wasn’t already so monumentally_ ** _horrible_** _and fucked up as Corin’s power and his imprisonment of his ex wife?  
  
  
_ Her teeth were already set on edge.  
  
  
The receptionist gave her a weird look, as if not sure what to do with her. Considering that Corin and Aro never brought her through the front entrance, it wasn’t surprising…this was the first time she had been face to face with the receptionist. She was a pretty girl, with dark skin and tight honey colored curls, and her green eyes widened at seeing another human wandering about the halls of the Volturi castle. “Ciao signorina! Ti sei perso?” she asked, her Italian accented with an odd accent, and Ramona realized she wasn’t an Italian. She also got the impression that the secretary was rather new.  
  
  
 _Appear confident, like you know what you’re doing_ , she said to herself.  
  
  
“Ciao…I’m Ramona, Aro’s girlfriend,” she responded in English, feeling confident that the secretary would understand her. And her guess was correct, because the secretary’s eyes widened immediately and she dropped her cellphone in shock at Ramona’s disclosure. Ramona continued. “I’m just coming back from work now, Corin had to leave to go somewhere. I’m heading back to my room.”  
  
  
She then turned and faced the hall to the left, knowing that did not lead back to her and Aro’s chambers in any way, shape, or form, but deciding she didn’t care. And that she was betting on the fact that the receptionist would be too nervous to say anything—which she didn’t, as Ramona made her way down the very end of the hall, until she reached the door that Sulpicia described.

  
The door looked normal enough. There weren’t any satanic symbols on it, or vines protruding from it, or bugs buzzing about…no oozing blood seeping out underneath. Ramona gave the handle a quick tug, to test it if it was really unlocked. It was, and she took a deep breath before pulling it open and revealing the secrets inside.  
  
  
At first glance, the room looked normal as well. Again, no scary satanic images, blood, or dead bodies, but…there was _something_ eerily foreboding about the room.  
  
  
There were piles upon piles of large cardboard boxes lined up against the wall, _at least_ thirty, as well as a row of tall filing cabinets. And despite it looking like your average office space, something inside her told her that it was not quite as it seemed.  
  
  
Ramona stared at the boxes in curiosity— _they’re probably just office supplies_ , the rational part of her brain explained.  
  
  
The irrational side of her brain screamed at her that it felt wrong. _Why else would Sulpicia tell me to come in here?_ It didn’t make any sense, if it was just an office room. Hesitantly, she crossed the room, opened one of the boxes, and peered inside.  
  
  
There weren’t any office supplies.  
  
  
It was a collection of random items that Ramona couldn’t quite make any sense of…at first. Cellphones, keys, passports, wallets—it looked like there were over a hundred of them in a single box. Frowning, she grabbed a random passport and opened it. It belonged to some girl in the United Kingdom—a dark haired girl named Amy Larson.  
  
  
She didn’t _look_ like anybody she’d seen around the castle, nor the secretary.  
  
  
Ramona continued shuffling through the box. Each passport was someone different—Donovan Smith, Zoey Carter, Carolina King, Neha Shah—and on, and on, _and on_ —  
  
  
There were hundreds. _Just in one box.  
  
_ _  
_And there were over thirty boxes in the room…Ramona tried to do the math in her head.  
  
  
Her stomach felt queasy as realization slowly settled in of _what exactly_ she was looking at—these are all of the people that they killed.  
  
  
A shiver passed through her. It wasn’t…it wasn’t exactly _news_ , she had known this about Aro for a long time now. Ramona thought that she had made peace with it in her head and in the heart. That this was just the simple reality of the situation. That her love for Aro could overcome _anything_ , and that, this, well—it was just the circle of life, right? A twisted version of the food chain that Ramona had no right judging. Especially since it was part of a future she decided for herself when she realized she wanted to be with Aro for the rest of her life.  
  
  
Ramona continued to look through the boxes. She robotically went through each one, opening up passports and wallets to look at the IDs, at the faces of the people who were gone. She must have gone through _hundreds…_ and she wasn’t even halfway through them. The more she looked at, the colder she felt in her bones and Ramona knew she was going to have to stop soon or she would snap.  
  
  
 _I need to stop looking_ , her mind told herself, as she was shuffling through her ninth box. She was just about to close the box when something bright and pink caught her eye, _something familiar_ , and she frowned in confusion. She picked it up and ran her hands over the case, looking at it thoughtfully. It was a wallet cellphone case; light pink leather, with a white ballerina silhouette on the front and bright rhinestones scattered all over it. It was really cute, something that Ramona would have bought for herself, but more than that… _she felt like she had seen it before.  
  
_  
 _But from where_ — _?  
  
_  
Slowly, Ramona unsnapped the case, finding a dead Iphone and a slot on the side filled with credit cards, and an ID peeking out from the first slot. She dipped her fingers in the slot and pulled out the driver’s license. She recognized the familiar print on it as a New York State ID—  
  
  
Every single cell flowing through Ramona’s body became _frozen. Petrified._ She couldn’ _t breathe.  
  
_ _  
_**_God, no_** **—  
  
**  
Angelina’s face stared back up at her.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Despite the fact that Aro had spent more than half of his existence dealing with relative solitude and being completely content with it, he found himself hopelessly missing Ramona throughout the week when she went back to work. He had been too spoiled, perhaps, by her always being around for the last two weeks. Aro had been by her side all night, into the morning, holding her as she slept soundly next to him. She’d wake up, they’d engage in _various_ forms of blissful activities, and then she would eat breakfast. Then they would bicker over whose turn it was to feed her damn cat, and then he’d leave her to do his duties down in the throne room with his brothers. _But_ he always managed to slip away throughout the day so he could go back up and see her. He’d find her upstairs in their suite reading, or sleeping, or playing with the cat, or even dancing— _despite Carlisle’s instructions for her to take it easy physically for as long as she could.  
  
_ _  
_It had been a good two weeks though. Aro knew that they needed some peace and quiet after Washington. And the guard and his brothers mostly left them alone. There was one incident that occurred earlier in the week between Mona and his guards, Heidi and Renata, that irritated him. He could tell she was desperately trying not to think about it when he touched her, and she didn’t want to talk about it. Aro was annoyed though, and would not shut up about it.  
  
  
“They should not have talked about you like that,” he said angrily, recalling the way that the girls giggled about Mona. Not only were they blatantly disrespectful about her, but they were disrespecting _him_ right along with her. _The bitches_ —  
  
  
They were far too comfortable for their own good, apparently. Heidi was lovely, but he could get another fisher. She was easily replaceable. Renata a little less so; her shield powers were truly something special, but she wasn’t completely unexpendable. Mona’s sister was a remarkable shield as well. The power wasn’t all that rare.

  
“Don’t punish them on my behalf,” Mona had insisted to him later that night, curled up next to him in their bed. “I need to fight my own battles.”  
  
  
Aro had every intention of ignoring that request and reminding the giggling females how _inconsequential_ their lives were to him. But she had been so insistent; for some reason, his mate seemed to feel a need to prove herself. Which was completely **_ridiculous._** She was with him, she was **_his_** , she didn’t need to _prove anything_ to the two lesser beings whose mouths were becoming a bit too large for their own good.  
  
  
His dear Jane clearly understood Mona’s place in the guard— _perhaps I should assign her to Mona, when Corin’s purpose is all said and done.  
  
_  
Corin was useful for the moment, and Ramona seemed to like her, so Aro had no intention of separating them for the time being. While he knew that once Ramona found out about Corin’s powers she would be upset, he had no regret doing so…his mate had been _miserable_ after the loss of their child. She had been so tearful, and she clutched the baby’s blanket to her like life support and Aro hated seeing her so upset. Her pain was _his pain_ , whether she realized it or not. And Aro…he was ready to move forward.  
  
  
He had been alive for thousands of years, and would be alive for thousands more. Aro knew he could not spend the rest of eternity in agony. He would not become like Marcus.  
  
  
So if Corin made her feel a little bit better, made her feel more comfortable in her new, strange environment….helped her feel calmer before she went back to work, which he knew she was _so_ looking forward to…he didn’t see the harm. The pros outweighed the cons, and Mona….she’d understand, in the long run. _She has to,_ he told himself confidently, _she knows how much I love her_ —  
  
  
During their vacation, Aro fashioned her a silver necklace with the Volturi crest on it to match his own. He felt a surge of pride as he fastened it around her slender neck, and even more when he saw that she had not taken it off at all. She didn’t realize it, but it signified much more than just a simple gift, and it was more than just pretty jewelry. It symbolized her initiation into their coven. Her place in it. Ramona was a member of the Volturi, a member of his family…his future wife…and queen…his future _everything.  
  
_  
Besides performing his usual duties as one of the Volturi leaders, he had spent a lot of his week dealing with his goddamn lawyer and ex wife with _divorce matters._ Aro had stressed to the lawyer that he wanted it to be completed as soon as possible, and thankfully, Sulpicia had agreed. When he had met with her for the first time after their separation, before he left for Washington and his world fell apart, he was surprised how much she had _changed_. Clearly, being apart from him and without Corin had done her some good…which Aro was fine with, as he was more than happy with Ramona.  
  
  
Especially now that everything had been going so swimmingly.  
  
  
Aro was in his personal study, flipping a foiled square in his fingers and tapping it against the desk in thought— _was tonight the right night to try to test out intercourse again?_ They had been avoiding it since they had come back, instead engaging in different forms of pleasure, which Aro _certainly_ didn’t mind— _Mona’s mouth was_ ** _delicious_** —but he couldn’t deny that he missed being with her. To be fully whole again.  
  
  
He looked at the clock; 5:45PM—Corin should have brought her back by now. Generally she would bring Mona back to his study, they’d chat about their days, and then they’d head back up to their quarters so she could take a shower and feed the cat. But the vampire and his ballerina were fifteen minutes late, which was unusual as he had known Corin to be prompt as ever over the years. Unless Mona decided to go out after work with some of her new human friends—but he _specifically_ instructed Corin to let him know if that was the case.  
  
  
Aro was not completely against Ramona keeping human friends… _but that_ ** _boy_** —  
  
  
He was not very happy when he saw that human try to flirt with **his mate** in her memories. It took everything in him not to hunt him down and rip his throat out for the audacity. But in her memories, Ramona had been clear about having a boyfriend, and that quieted down Aro’s temper enough to leave the matter alone for the time being.  
  
  
 _Although if Heidi_ ** _just so happened_** _to lure him into their fishing tours, he could hardly be put at fault_ —maybe he wouldn’t kill Heidi after all.  
  
  
Aro eventually became too impatient waiting for Corin and stuffed the condom in his pocket, before leaving his study to go and find where on earth she was with his mate. He made his way to the main hall, where the new secretary— _young but smart, far smarter than his last one, and he picked a girl who knew English as well on Mona’s behalf_ —was looking through the phone book to extensions in the castle, dialing quickly on the phone.He cleared his throat to catch her attention, and she jumped a bit. But she looked relieved when she saw him, which he thought was odd.  
  
  
“Oh Master Aro! I’m glad you’re here!” she garbled quickly, and she immediately hung up the phone. He raised an eyebrow at her behavior. “I was actually trying to call you, but when I called your personal quarters and the throne room, you didn’t answer…”  
  
  
“I was in my study,” Aro said blankly, unimpressed. The girl should have _known_ that. Perhaps he had given her too much credit after all. “The number is there,” he pointed to his study’s extension, “What is it that you wanted?”  
  
  
“I wanted to let you know that your girlfriend…Ramona? She came in through the main entrance a little while ago, but I think she was confused because she went the wrong way. I tried to let her know but she walked away and I didn’t want to leave my post—”  
  
  
“ ** _Where did she go?”_** he bit out shortly, immediately aware that _something_ was wrong. She shouldn’t have come back without Corin. And she never went through the main entrance. _Where is Corin?_ Aro thought angrily. She should have been with her.  
  
  
The secretary pointed down the left wing of the hall.  
  
  
 _Fuck_ —Aro cursed to himself, as he bolted away from the desk and down the hall in a matter of seconds. He didn’t quite know _why_ Ramona went down that hall, but he knew that he didn’t want her to. The rooms on that hall were mostly simple office supply rooms, but in the last one, what they kept inside _that_ room—  
  
  
It was at least two weeks before the guard was scheduled to clean out the room.  
  
  
 _So then they could make room for the next round_ —  
  
  
Aro checked in every single other room first, not finding Ramona, until he reached the last door down the hall…the one he didn’t want her to go in most of all. He opened the door and _there she was_ , flopped down on the floor, surrounded by _at least_ ten boxes, all tipped over, tossed around, the contents of dead cell phones and wallets and passports spilling out all over the floor. Ramona’s dark curls were a mess and she looked pale, as she sat frozen and unmoving. The sound of him opening the door broke her from her spell, and she looked up at him— _she’s horrified_ , he thought to himself, as he took in her wide eyes, and he felt all of the positivity and hopeful expectations he had for the night slip away.  
  
  
“Ramona—” Aro didn’t know what to say, the words were turning to ash on his tongue as he tried to come up with a response that wouldn’t upset her. He didn’t want to see her cry anymore. He would have to do something to calm her down. _Be confident,_ he told himself, _she knew what you were, you can spin this_ —  
  
  
There were no tears running down her face, though, no broken sobs or cries coming from her lips. Aro watched his mate frown angrily, and then take what was in her hands— _a pink cellphone case?_ —and chuck it towards him in spite. It slid across the floor to his feet. He picked it up, recognizing it was a wallet as well, and opened the snap to see the license inside.  
  
  
 ** _Oh_** —  
  
 ** _  
_**“What _the fuck_ ,” her voice was shaking, but she carried on. “is _that_ , Aro?”  
  
  


* * *

  
  
In a matter of seconds, the simple unclasping of a button caused everything that Ramona thought she knew and thought she understood about Aro to come crashing down. Angelina, the prima ballerina from her New York company, stared up at her, as if mocking the position she now found herself in.  
  
  
 _Why was she here?_ Ramona’s first thought came unbidden, confused by the familiar face. As far as she knew, Angelina hadn’t been to Italy—  
  
  
But then, memories filled the pieces of the horrific puzzle of just _fucking_ ** _why_** she had Angelina’s license in her hand.  
  
  
Angelina disappeared right before the first Swan Lake performance.  
  
  
Due to her disappearance, Ramona was able to dance the lead on opening night; something that she desperately _wanted_ , and _dreamed_ about—  
  
  
Ramona wanted that more than anything.  
  
  
And Aro was in New York right before opening night.  
  
  
Nausea settled in the pit of her stomach as she considered the repercussions of all of those events. As she connected the dots…and formed a conclusion that absolutely made her _skin crawl_.  
  
  
Aro killed Angelina… ** _for her_** —  
  
  
Her heart felt like it was being stabbed all over again. Everything that Aro had already put her through, everything that they had suffered and had to overcome together for the sake of their relationship—  
  
  
 _This was worse._ This was worse than everything else combined.  
  
  
Ramona could come up with justification for the other humans in the shop of horror boxes. Vampires had to feed, they couldn’t really help it. The hundreds of names and faces that she came across, while horrible and upsetting to look at, were just random victims for the vampires’ natural consumption. It wasn’t anything personal. It was indiscriminate bad luck.  
  
  
 **This** —  
  
  
This _wasn’t_ random. It wasn't just killing for the sake of having to feed.  
  
  
Angelina’s death— _no, her murder_ , _it was_ ** _murder_** —was calculated. It was cold blooded, personal, discriminate murder, with intent behind it greater than just the need to feed.  
  
  
He murdered her… _on her behalf_ —  
  
  
Which meant that her Swan Lake performances, when she got to play the White Swan and Black Swan, was a lie. It was tainted; tainted with the blood of Angelina, wholly undeserved. Ramona never deserved it—she only got it because her boyfriend killed her competition. It was sick, and _fucking stomach turning_ , and it took away all of hte pride and glory that she felt from that first night.  
  
  
Her ruminating was interrupted by the opening of the door, and she looked up to see the perpetrator of her misery staring down at her.  
  
  
Aro. Her boyfriend…lover…mate, _whatever_ —  
  
  
The fucking murderer.  
  
  
To his credit, Aro did not enter the room with all of the smiles and bravado of his usual demeanor. He instantly realized what she stumbled onto, and appeared entirely put out by the situation. She watched as he licked his lips and tried to come up with something to say. So she waited— _what the hell can he even say to her?_ she thought. Nothing would make it better.  
  
  
“Ramona—” was all he seemed capable of saying in that moment, his red eyes large and nervous. Words seemed to escape him as he took in the scene before him. She knew she must have looked like a wild mess, she _felt like one._ And she felt— **angry.  
  
** **  
**In a fit of rage, she chucked Angelina’s cellphone case at ARo, feeling annoyed that it didn’t reach her mark and instead landed by his feet. He reached down and opened it, and she watched as his expression became more grim as he realized _exactly_ what he was holding. He looked at her cautiously.  
  
  
“ _What the fuck is that, Aro?”_ she asked, knowing that she already knew exactly what this was, but wanting to hear him admit it out loud. Admit how much of a fucking monster he could be—  
  
  
Aro swallowed and itched his nose— _he’s trying to come up with a lie_ , she thought. Ramona’s glare intensified at the vampire. “I believe it’s Angelina’s,” was all he said, offering nothing else.  
  
  
 _The fucking_ ** _nerve_** —  
  
  
He’s ballsy alright.  
  
  
“And what is Angelina’s ID doing in this room?” Ramona bit out. If he wanted to spell it out, she'd have him spell it out. He opened his mouth, and before he could even begin to let out some ridiculous lie, she stopped him. “We both know she didn’t go to Italy.”  
  
  
Aro set his jaw. In his arrogance, he was becoming annoyed at how clearly this wasn’t going to go his way. “She did not,” he agreed. She waited for him to continue, but he remained as silent as the night.  
  
  
 _Is this what he does when he’s backed into a corner? Become as unhelpful and aloof as possible?_ His controlled indifference was only making her angrier.  
  
  
“Then _why. is. it. here? ”_ she stressed every single syllable. Aro sighed loudly. As if this was _inconveniencing_ him.  
  
  
“You know why,” Aro answered petulantly, as he gestured to the tipped over boxes surrounding them. “You have clearly figured out what this room is for.”  
  
  
“I don’t, actually, _know_ why you choose to keep the items of the people you’ve all killed,” Ramona responded, “But I get that you _killed_ her when you were in New York,” she growled, “after I told you that I got alternative for the lead.” She had to say “lead”, she couldn’t say the name of the part. She couldn’t utter Odette out loud, not after this. He ruined her baby’s name. **_Fuck,_** _he ruined her name._ “Y-you killed her to get her out of the way so that I could dance the lead.”  
  
  
“You were coming with me to Italy, I had already decided we…Mona, we’re meant to be together. So I wanted you to have something good before you left. I wanted you to be happy, I did this for you—”  
  
  
That was **one hundred percent** the wrong thing to say, as Ramona choked back a horrified sob that threatened to escape her lips. Sick… _she was going to get sick.  
  
_ _  
_Ramona swallowed down the bile. “I can’t believe you think that I would have wanted that—you tainted this for me, Aro. You fucking _ruined it._ And now…now her death is on me. On my conscience. You made me a culprit to her murder—”  
  
  
“No!” Aro ran to her and crouched down next to her. He tried to touch her face but she flinched away. “No, Mona, my love, don’t think like that. You have done nothing wrong, cara mia.”  
  
  
But his words did nothing to quell the guilt and shame festering in her heart.  
  
  
“Vampires…kill people all the time, Mona. It’s just the horrible truth of it all—”  
  
  
“You didn’t kill her to feed though, this is different from all the rest,” she cried, finally giving into her despair. She raised her voice into a scream. “ _You fucking murdered her_!”  
  
  
“Did I?” he bit out lowly, his eyes flashing angrily. She glared back at him with double the fire.  
  
  
“Tell me, did you sink your fucking teeth into her before or after you fucked me?” she asked scathingly. She tried to figure out the timeline in her head. “Wait, don’t tell me, it had to be after right? Was my lay that fucking good that you decided you’d kill for it?”  
  
  
“Do not be so crude.” Aro snarled.  
  
  
Ramona huffled, “ _Says the fucking murderer_ —”  
  
  
“So you think. Do you want to paint me as the villain? Will it please you to pain me as the lone evil in the world? Cast all the blame on me? Or do you want the truth?” His words were venom, dark and laced with malice. “Should I protect your fragile heart, and tell you that it was **_I_** that sunk my teeth into her slender neck? Should I protect your dear friendship that you hold so deeply? I will be your villain, if it makes you happy, my love.”  
  
  
 _Demetri_ —  
  
  
She could feel the air beginning to leave her lungs as the room began to spin.  
  
  
“I need to go,” she managed, cradling her head in her hands and trying to calm herself down. Her brain felt like it was going to explode. “I can’t be here, I need space, I need to go—”  
  
  
“ ** _Stop running away_** _!_ ” Aro shouted, causing her to wince as the volume of his voice made the pounding in her head worsen. He reached out to her again, to no avail. Ramona didn’t want him touching her. “Mona, baby, just _stay here_ with me, we can figure this out—”  
  
  
 _Baby?_ She gave him a strange look. **_That_** was a new pet name.  
  
  
In any other moment, she might have liked it. But now it just rattled her.  
  
  
“I’m not—I’m not running to Forks,” she announced out loud. No, he was right, she needed to stop running away. But…she couldn’t be here. She couldn’t pretend everything was okay and sleep in bed next to Aro. “I’m going back to Florence. I’m going to the condo, and you’re staying here.”  
  
  
Aro looked a little relieved that she wasn’t planning on hopping the next flight to the States again. Ramona wondered if he would follow her, but she knew he would… _he always would._  
  
  
She didn’t know if she liked that.  
  
  
“Okay,” he said, drawing close to her without touching her. She glared at him intently; she didn’t want a single brush of his fingers to touch her. She didn’t want him knowing what was going on in her head, or what happened earlier with Sulpicia. “Let, let me take you there. Or let Corin—” he stopped and frowned, as if just remembering something, “ _Where_ is Corin, anyway? Was she not there when you left work today?”  
  
  
Ramona had no desire in telling Aro what had transpired with Sulpicia. At least not yet. For some reason, keeping that a secret felt important. And deserved. “No, she wasn’t,” was all she decided to give him. But she felt like it was the opportunity to kill this issue where it stood. “I don’t want Corin to be my attendant anymore. She _won’t be_ , I don’t want her.”  
  
  
Aro gave her a strange look. “Why? I thought you got along with her—”  
  
  
“Well it’s easy to get along with her, _right?_ ” she snapped bitterly, glaring at him. “I _know_ about her power, Aro. I’m not going to let you use her to manipulate my emotions. Or make me content or whatever, so you can easily brush this issue aside for your own satisfaction.”  
  
  
He blinked in surprise. Aro glanced at her hand, and she could tell he was fighting every nerve inside him to grab her hand and read her mind. _I fucking dare you_ , she thought. “How do you know about Corin?” he asked slowly.  
  
  
“It doesn’t matter, I found out,” was all she was going to give him, playing the aloof and purposefully vague responses right back at him. She could tell that he was becoming annoyed, and she felt a small thrill of satisfaction. _Good_ , she thought to herself, _he deserves to be miserable. He’s a fucking monster._ “No more Corin. Ever again.”  
  
  
“No more Corin,” Aro repeated back. She held out her hand and stared him straight in the eyes.  
  
  
“I need the keys to the condo,” she stated. “And my cellphone.”  
  
  
“What about all of the stuff in the room?” Aro asked. He was going to try to convince her to stay. It wasn’t going to work. “What about George?”  
  
  
“Have someone bring my clothes over,” she said shortly, standing up and brushing herself off. “Not you, and not Corin. You can keep George,” she thought about it, hating it but deciding it was what was best. “I don’t want to keep jostling him back and forth. And he loves you more anyway.” It was the truth, at the very least.  
  
  
And she wouldn’t be away forever.  
  
  
At least, she wasn’t sure…she didn’t think so. But she didn’t know. Ramona didn’t know anything at the moment. Everything was so fucked up all over again.  
  
  
She remained calm as they made their way to the front office, where the secretary was waiting for them. They must have looked extremely upset and messed up because the girl looked uncomfortable and like she wanted to look anywhere else but at the two of them. Aro told her to give her the keys to the condo and her cellphone, which was kept in the top drawer for some reason. It was weird, saying goodbye to Aro without running away from him on some plane or in some ditch to escape. Ramona didn’t know what to do. She didn’t want to hug him goodbye, or kiss him, or say any loving parting words. She just wanted to leave, go back to her condo, and go to bed.  
  
  
Aro didn’t have any expectations either. He didn’t try to hug or kiss her goodbye. He just watched her sadly as she hailed a taxi and left him. Not quite running away, but not staying either. Ramona looked out the window at the dark sky, and thought about all that they have done. And what he had done for her…and what it all meant, in the grand scheme of things. She told the cab driver to make a pit stop before they went back to the condo. Her soul had questions that needed answers.  
  
  


* * *

**Italian Translation:**

**Ti sei perso? : Are you lost?**

* * *

**  
So....this is a thing that happened.**

**Remember when I said that everything I write is intentional? And that story lines that you might have forgot about, might have thought was over....WASN'T over, and that I'd bring thing things up again? lol Well....I did it lmfao. I remember it was CHAPTERS UPON CHAPTERS ago that people were asking me about Angelina, and wondered how Mona would act if she found out about her. I gave it a lot of thought, and I agreed, that it would be interesting to find out how Mona would respond.**

**However, the more I thought about it...it needed to be something she discovered AFTER she already established a strong relationship and bond with Aro. I think if it was done too soon, the relationship would have floundered. It's pretty bad....so, now, I think their relationship is strong enough that this is going to be interesting to see how Mona deals with this moral dilemma.**

**Anyways, if you all don't hate me, thank you for your continued support! I'm already working on the next chapter so hopefully that will be out soon! Love you all <3 <3 **


	34. The Need for Answers

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi Guys!!!
> 
> So this is a shorter chapter, but I just wanted to throw it out for you guys to shorten the wait! Also I feel like yes, I could have added more to this chapter, but I kind of wanted to end it where I did, I thought that made the most sense. Next chapter should be out soon. 
> 
> Thank you all for your lovely support and reviews!!! And bookmarks! I get so excited to see that my story is still being bookmarked by new readers and I'm so happy people are still enjoying it. We are reaching some CRAZY milestones with this fanfic and I feel so lucky and honored to have readers who are so loyal and excited for my story. 
> 
> Love you all!!! <3 <3 Take care and be safe out there!

* * *

Every time that Aro thought that everything had turned around in his favor, that he had control over his life, he had been constantly surprised lately to find out that was not the case at all. Which, since beginning his relationship with Ramona, seemed to be the case. Thousands of years of normalcy and control now amassed to a confusing and chaotic life that he was desperately trying to keep from falling apart.  
  
  
He didn’t know _who_ told Ramona to go to the door at the end of the wing, or _why._ And he didn’t know how she had found out about Corin’s talents, but her reaction to it, while he knew it would not be positive, was frustrating. She called it _manipulation._ But she didn’t understand it, she didn’t understand that he did it because he loved her.  
  
  
And her reaction to the ballerina… _fuck_ , Aro was never expecting to have to have that conversation. It seemed so long ago, he had thought that it was a problem that they were well past, one that she would have never found out about. That she’d live in blissful ignorance not knowing about it, because she didn’t _need_ to know. Knowing about it wouldn’t solve anything, so Aro never bothered to tell her.  
  
  
To think, if she had waited two weeks, Felix would have completed their bimonthly purge of the room and Angelina’s cell phone case would not have been in there. Sure, she would have been upset with the rest of the content, but Aro was certain that would have been an issue he could have worked around. This was something else _entirely.  
  
_  
Aro wasn’t sure how he was going to fix things this time.  
  
  
He watched her leave in the taxi, with her promise that she wasn’t leaving for good, and she wasn’t leaving the country…that she’d be safe and sound in their condo, in their other home. But it wasn’t enough—he _had_ to make sure that she got there okay. And that she wasn’t just saying she was staying in Florence, before flying away in her typical grandiose fashion to God only knows where.  
  
  
He needed someone to check up on her…continue bringing her to and from work, whether she liked it or not. And now Corin was clearly out of the question— _wherever she was.  
  
_

Aro would be giving the guard a **_strong talking to_** when she returned to the castle.  
  
  
He thought about it long and hard, knowing that Ramona would question and analyze whatever decision he made carefully and with suspicion. So he would need to send someone that she trusted—  
  
  
The vampire king found himself making his way to the lower part of the castle, where the lower tier guards were stationed. Aro didn’t venture down very often; if there were issues, the higher standing guards would fetch them and bring them to him. Caius made his way down quite regularly, enjoying to spend his time inspiring fear in some of the weaker recruits. Aro found the act rather banal so he never bothered. He had more important things to worry himself over anyway.  
  
  
It didn’t take him long to find just the vampire he was looking for, who was in the middle of playing at a billiards table with a bunch of younger vampires in the main lounge. Aro strolled his way over and watched them play the game in mild interest; he had played the game before, but not in a long time. He idly remembered last beating Caius in a game of billiards some time in the 1850s—  
  
  
The vampire in question looked up at the vampire king in shock. “Master Aro,” he remarked in surprise, causing all of the lower guards around him to notice the king for the first time as well and drop their cue sticks. A few bowed in reverence. “What are you doing down here?”  
  
  
“Demetri—” he looked at the young man, a talented vampire that he was very thankful to have kept in his guard. The man that had somehow won over his mate’s trust, forming some friendship that even Aro did not have with her. He was unsure if this would work, considering he revealed to her that it was Demetri that killed Angelina, but Aro had a feeling her anger was still more directed at him than at her friend. He needed someone who she trusted, and he had no other choice. Demetri, for his part, seemed to realize something had gone horribly wrong because he immediately stood at attention. “I need you to do something for me.”  
  


* * *

Being demoted to the lower guard, wasn’t, actually, all that bad…Demetri found that there were actually several perks to not being in the higher guard. Sure, the quarters were not as nice, but Demetri hardly minded…he was a vampire, he hadn’t spent much time in his room after all. And the lower guard members, well, they looked up to him, which was a nice change. That, and they had less responsibilities, so they got to do _fun things._ Demetri couldn’t remember the last time he had played billiards.

  
The kings had him go out a few times since his demotion in order to track a few rogue vampires, but otherwise there was an actual sort of freedom in being with the lower guard. Although—he did worry about Ramona, and how she was doing. Seeing her in Corin’s clutches at the trial, made him sick to his stomach. _How_ Aro could have thought that was a good idea was beyond him.  
  
  
He didn’t have to wait long until _that_ situation ended up in the disaster he expected.  
  
  
But he wasn’t expecting Aro to show up and ask for _his help._ At least not so soon.  
  
  
So here Demetri was, following the taxi cab that held Ramona in it as it made its way through the busy streets of Florence. He kept his distance; he had no intention of letting Ramona know he was following him, Aro asked him not too. That, and Aro revealed to him the particular reason _why_ Ramona was so upset this time.  
  
  
When he killed the human for Aro, it wasn’t anything _personal_. Aro asked for it to be done, so he did it; he needed to feed anyway, Demetri hadn’t _meant_ for the ballerina’s death to be something that would upset Ramona so much.  
  
  
So he wasn’t sure if Ramona would even want anything to do with him anymore.

  
  
Demetri was surprised when the taxi cab took a right turn on the street where it would have taken a left if it was going to the condo, and stopped at the cathedral by the piazza del Duomo. He frowned, watching Ramona get out of the taxi and look at the architectural giant, before entering the church. _What is she doing?_ he wondered.  
  


* * *

Ramona had never paid much attention to church; her Nana forced her and Bella to go to church and CCD when they were younger, but she considered herself agnostic, choosing a secular kind of living. She never wanted to deal with issues of morality; according to the rules, she was a sinner. Ramona had sex before marriage, she lied, she was promiscuous, she drank like a sailor—she never thought she had any right to judge anyone on anything.  
  
  
But this entire situation brought back up old feelings of doubt that had been festering in the depths of her soul. What was it that Aro had said? Back when they were visiting the gallery together— _“There are many of…my kind, that consider us damned.”_ And then, when she asked if **he** thought that he was damned, his only response was a simple, “ _I do not know._ ”  
  


Was Aro damned? She didn’t really know what that even meant, or if it even mattered…he was a vampire, his kind lived forever right? Damnation meant nothing in comparison to immortality…which is why vampires likely felt no guilt in their unearthly lifestyle. But Ramona…she wasn’t a vampire. _Not yet_ , at least. Was her love for Aro, _a killer_ , justification for her own damnation? Was her soul already forfeit?  
  
  
Was Angelina’s death somehow her fault?  
  
  
She couldn’t stop wondering as she walked up the steps to the cathedral and entered, knowing that even though it was late, it was still an active church and she was certain it was open to the public. She marveled at the grandness; it was beautiful, with the high dome ceilings covered in religious art, the mosaic pavement, the stained glass windows, and ancient looking statues. Ramona felt sorry that she hadn’t come in to see the cathedral sooner— _although she knew exactly why she didn’t, and it was for this reason…she was a coward. And she wanted to ignore the painful truth about her lover for as long as she could.  
  
_  
Ramona roamed the large cathedral until she reached the nave, and she found herself in the pew closest to the altar, kneeling on the bench and staring up at the crucifix across from her. It was a huge, gaudy looking thing; a vision of Christ the Savior, inlaid with gold and silver, but she supposed it was beautiful, in a way.  
  
  
 _What are you even doing here?_ She thought to herself, as she stared up at the cross, hoping it would somehow give her answers. _What do you even want?  
  
_ _  
__What_ ** _did_** _she want?  
  
_  
She wanted everything to make sense again.  
  
  
She wanted to be happy again.  
  
  
She wanted to love again.  
  
  
She wanted to take away everything that had ever happened. And go back.  
  
  
 _But go back to what?  
  
_ _  
_Ramona tried to imagine going back to a life without Aro—it was a scenario that she had to consider several times already. When she left for Forks, she thought that she would be leaving Aro behind forever— _but_ ** _even then_** , her mind reminded her, _even then you didn’t have a plan, or knew what you even wanted. You just escaped without thinking.  
  
_ _  
_This time she didn’t run away—not _really._ Florence could hardly be considering running away, the condo was a place that Aro bought specifically for her. But she didn’t quite stand her ground either. Her conversation with Aro was clearly not over…but at the moment, she didn’t want to talk to him. She didn’t want to _look at him_ —all she could think about was what he had done. _“I did this for you_ —”  
  
  
The intent was childish at best, delirious in all other respects; _yes_ , Aro may have thought he was doing her a favor, but the truth of the matter was, it was just another part of his selfishness. He selfishly killed Angelina because he wanted Ramona to be happy because that would make _him_ happy. It made him feel less guilty about ripping her from New York.  
  
  
Still—knowing that didn’t make it better. Didn’t make her less of a reason for the girl’s demise. And then knowing that it was _Demetri that did it.  
  
_ _  
__He did it because Aro told him to do it_ , she told herself, trying to think rationally. _Demetri didn’t do it for selfish reasons, like Aro.  
  
_ _  
_**_Aro_**.  
  
  
“Mi scusi, Signora?” a voice interrupted her musings, and she jumped a bit in surprise, as she thought she was alone. An eldery looking priest was looking at her in interest, old, frail and grey in his long robes. “Posso aiutarti? Ti sei appena perso la messa.”  
  
  
Ramona blinked, she vaguely understood that he was talking about mass. She shook her head. “Mi dispiace, ma non parlo Italiano molto bene.” Not for the first time, Ramona wished she looked more like a tourist. “I’m an American,” she explained. _That_ always did the trick…it was the simple red flag of— _I’m an American and all I know is English, please excuse my lack of cultural education.  
  
_ _  
_But the priest just smiled kindly and nodded, “I understand, signorina. I was wondering if I could help you? Our last mass ended over an hour ago.” His accent was thick and somewhat hard for her to understand, but she felt comforted by the warmth radiating off of him. Ramona heaved a large sigh and looked up at the crucifix in wonder.

  
“I’m lost, padre,” she admitted, hoping that telling the truth would make her feel better. She looked at the priest in earnest. “How do you know if someone is damned?”  
  
  
The priest raised his brows, but looked amused. “Damned? That is a very serious word. Who is it that you believe to be damned?”  
  
  
She shifted uncomfortably. “Someone I know…someone I love, or _loved_ , I don’t know…” she looked down at her hands, “And me. Possibly me.”  
  
  
He looked at her curiously. “And have you come for a confession?”  
  
  
 **Confession**. Ramona thought about it—she hadn’t done confession since she was probably ten, and she was forced to go against her wishes. She remembered hating it, and resenting the fact that she had to apologize for anything. Now that she was an adult, well, she didn’t really believe in it, but perhaps there was something to be said about laying out all of her and Aro’s crimes for external judgment.  
  
  
 _A counselor would probably be better_ —but she didn’t have the money for that.  
  
  
She had no idea where to begin. “I love someone…who has done some **_very bad_** things. Like, very bad…the worst things that you can ever think of. And yet, a part of me, still loves him. Which is _so fucked up_ —”  
  
  
“Ah—”, the priest cleared his throat, and gestured to the church. “Language—”  
  
  
She blushed. “Sorry padre. And now—well, I just found out more awful things he’s done. And that he did something bad _for me._ Like, on my behalf. I can’t help but feel like it’s my fault. That _I’m_ to blame.”  
  
  
“You are allowing his sins to weigh on your conscience,” the priest considered her, and took a seat right next to her. “Tell me, do you get satisfaction from the crimes he has committed?”  
  
  
Ramona fidgeted. “Well, no…” she thought about it, “But, I have benefited from what he has done.”  
  
  
“But you do not condone them,” the priest didn’t falter, “My dear, I have had mothers and loved ones of all manner of people—murderers, rapists, drug lords, serial killers—come in and ask the same thing. ‘Am I wrong for loving someone so evil?’” He took her hand in hers; it was warm, soft, and wrinkled, and brought her comfort. “Love is never wrong, nor is it evil. Christ gave you love for good. The actions of this person will not taint your soul.”  
  
  
His words were kind and compassionate, but she wondered if he might have felt differently if he knew _just how_ ** _dark_** Aro’s deeds truly were. Still, she was somewhat comforted.  
  
  
“I don’t know if it is that simple,” she thought out loud. “And I—I love him. I don’t want him to be damned.”  
  
  
“Does he hold repentance in his heart for his sins?”  
  
  
 _No_ —she first thought, knowing her vampire regretted almost nothing. She thought about it some more though; Aro definitely was not repentant for killing people, that was just a part of his life. Anything else, _well_ —Ramona couldn’t be certain if he was repentant, or just regretful that she found out.  
  
  
 _Probably the latter.  
  
_ _  
_“I don’t know,” she finally decided. That was the most honest answer. She didn’t know how much of it was just Aro being Aro, or if he felt any deep shame for his actions.  
  
  
The priest smiled unhelpfully. “Perhaps it is he who should come to seek confession.”  
  
  
Ramona laughed. “He’d probably burst into flames the second he entered the cathedral.” She snickered, but in the back of her mind she wondered if there was any truth to it. The rest of vampiric mythology seemed false so far— _to her disappointment when she didn’t even get a sneeze after kissing Aro with garlicky breath_ —but she hadn’t tried a crucifix yet. Despite her anger at him, she wasn’t sure she wanted to see him lit with hellfire because he stepped onto consecrated ground though.  
  
  
She was fidgeting again, a compulsion brought about by nervousness, when she caught the attention of the priest. “What is that?” the priest frowned, as he squinted at the object in her hands.  
  
  
Ramona stopped fidgeting and looked down. She hadn’t even realized she was playing with her necklace. Aro had given it to her last week— _a token of my eternal affection for you,_ he said. It was pretty, and shiny, and there were two opals in the V shaped pendant that sparkled magnificently in the sun. It was a bit larger and gaudier than most of the simple jewelry she was used to wearing, but she had seen Aro wear a similar pendant, so she knew that it must have meant something to him.  
  
  
She displayed the pendant to the priest. She watched as the priest’s face became darker as he seemed to recognize the symbol. The kind old smile was gone and replaced with a grim expression. Ramona’s heart dropped to her stomach.  
  
  
“Do you…do you recognize this symbol?” she asked. Ramona was unable to say to him ‘ _my boyfriend is a vampire and I’m concerned for his immortal soul’_ because of the coven’s laws, but if he already knew…Or, perhaps, he suspected, or had seen it before. The priest was old, and was at a church not far from Volterra, he _must_ have heard stories—  
  
  
Whatever the explanation, he clearly knew the crest of the Volturi. The interaction between them took on a whole new meaning now, as the priest must have pieced together her story. “I see.” he finally said, a look of resignation appearing on his face.  
  
  
Like she was a _lost cause.  
  
_

“Please, padre, I need answers,” she implored him, “I _love_ him.”  
  
  
The priest just looked at her sadly; like she was a girl whose fate was already sealed, and in his eyes, doomed. “I understand.”  
  
  
When he didn’t offer her any more advice, she tried again. “You said—you said that love is never wrong. And we—we can’t help who we love, right? I don’t condone what he is, but…he can’t help it, and if, if he _was_ repentant, would that even matter? I don’t want to let him go—”  
  
  
“I will pray for you.”  
  
  
It was not quite the answer she was hoping for. And it didn’t really help her at all, or make her feel any better. “We…we had a baby,” she watched the priest's eyes widen in shock, “We lost her, she was stillborn.” She could feel the rise of emotions begin to flood through her and threaten to come up. Ramona swallowed down the tears. “Is she damned?”  
  
  
The priest’s surprised look turned to sorrow in his eyes. “I will pray for her too.”  
  
  
The thought of her sweet little baby being punished for sins that she never even committed made her feel sick. _For the sins of her father._ The priest began to stand up and walk away from her. “What about him?” she called out to the priest, desperate for an answer. _What about Aro?_ “Is he damned no matter what? Will you pray for him?”  
  
  
A sad shake of his head was all she needed to feel the weight of the world crash in on her. Despair threatened to consume her. “It is too late for him.”  
  
  


* * *

Ramona sat in the back of the taxi cab in stony silence, contemplating what had just happened in the cathedral. Contemplating just how everything could come crumbling down in a matter of _hours_. How just before work, she woke up that morning happy and content, basking in her boyfriend’s embrace and sharing chaste kisses and sweet whispers, to _now_ —dealing with whatever _this_ was.  
  
  
She felt confused…upset… _alone_.  
  
  
She tightened her fingers around her cellphone. Ramona hated feeling alone, and it took all of her willpower not to dial Aro and tell him that she should come over, that she wanted to talk and figure things out—  
  
  
 _Don’t give him that satisfaction,_ her mind warned her. _That is exactly what he wants.  
  
_ _  
_The condo felt larger with just her in it, and she immediately regretted letting Aro keep George. Like a moth to the flame, her feet wandered to the kitchen and she opened the fridge to find that it was still well stocked. She eyed the bottles of wine that laid unopened on the rack. Hesitantly, she reached out and grabbed a bottle; a red burgundy _Cháteau Lafite._ Aro said that he had bought it for her for a special occasion.  
  
  
 _This wasn’t_ ** _quite_** _the occasion she had in mind_ —  
  
  
Slowly, she grabbed the bottle opener and began to twist off the cork. She got a wine glass out of the cabinet and began to pour the wine, measuring out a respectable amount. Ramona stared at the glass, and then back at the bottle.  
  
  
Historically, she'd just popped open the cork and took on the entire bottle in one sitting. Ramona was a glutton for self induced punishment and now seemed like an appropriate time as ever to crawl back into destructive old habits.  
  
  
She thought about everything that she had gone through, and that she had persevered. Meeting Aro at the wedding, getting the lead in Swan Lake through false pretenses, getting kidnapped, being flown across the world, falling in love, falling out of love, becoming pregnant, losing her child, falling back in love, _getting her heart broken all over again_ —  
  
  
Ramona grabbed the glass and put the bottle back in the fridge. 

* * *

  
**Here's a little break in the craziness for a chapter that let's Ramona breathe a little bit and think about her moral conundrum.  
**

**Aro will be back in business a bit more for the next chapter, and as well as some other characters.**

**Also, I think I mentioned it last time, but I hope nobody is uncomfortable with the Christian/Catholic imagery/discussions I am having in this chapter. I thought this was a nice follow up to the conversation that Ramona and Aro had several chapters back when they were in the gallery.**


	35. Being Apart

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Happy Monday!!!! 
> 
> Here is the next chapter, we are getting into the nitty gritty but hopefully we will get out of it soon!?! IDK HOW, but we will all figure it out.
> 
> Thank you all for your amazing support. I know I say this in every chapter, but writing this fanfiction really has been such a journey for me and I appreciate everyone who has been on it and been supporting it. To make things clear, I started this at the end of March/beginning of April, when quarantine first started. I was bored, and lonely, and missing friends, and I had this story in my head. So I thought, fuck it, I'll write an Aro fan fiction. And this thing just exploded and I continued and now I have written more than 300 PAGES. And here on AO3, I cannot believe it has finally reached over 10K hits, 800+ comments, and 400 KUDOS. IN-SANITY. ITS INSANE. I am so floored, and I can't believe it, but I'm so happy people are liking this story and I really hope I don't disappoint you.

**BTW: I saw this image on Twitter and I HAD TO POST IT HERE. It was made by @whichzwitch (Leslie <3smsheen and is sook) on Twitter. ITS AMAZING AND I LOVE IT. Spread the Aro community love and check it out on Twitter and show her some love! **

* * *

The incessant beeping of her cell phone alarm woke her up the next morning, and she jolted up as in the blearly state of her mind, she remembered she had work. Ramona rubbed her eyes and took in her surroundings, confused for a second until she remembered what had happened— _you’re in the condo. Aro isn’t here.  
  
_ _  
_Her bed was empty and she didn’t know how she felt about it.  
  
  
She had just begun to process that when a knock at the door came, and she jumped in surprise as it opened and revealed the familiar face of her old friend. His tousled blondish-brown hair, mischievous red eyes, crooked smile—  
  
  
“Demetri?” she frowned, confused. She stared at the cup of iced coffee in his hands that he extended towards her. She reached out and took it. “What are you doing here?”  
  
  
The vampire took a seat beside her. “Aro got rid of Corin,” he explained, and _that_ was at least some good news that she wasn’t quite expecting. She knew that she had told Aro that she wanted nothing to do with the redhead anymore, but she told Aro a lot of things that he never quite followed through on, so she wasn’t expecting much. But knowing that she wasn’t going to be trailed by someone who could manipulate her emotions did make her feel like she had a _bit_ more autonomy.  
  
  
“And he asked me to check in on you.” he finished lazily. Ramona quirked an eyebrow and took a tip of her coffee. She sighed, thankful for the caffeine. And thankful that she didn’t end up getting absolutely trashed.  
  
  
“So you’re back to being my _babysitter_ , then,” she said out loud, and she looked away from him. It was hard, seeing him again. Especially after finding out about Angelina. _It wasn’t his fault_ , she reminded herself. “I guess that’s preferable to Corin.”  
  
  
“I hated knowing that Aro used her on you,” Demetri gave her a look of regret, and Ramona instantly began to feel her walls come crumbling down. “Ramona, I’m so sorry. About the ballerina—”  
  


“It’s not your fault,” she interrupted, and she finally broke out of her nerves and crashed into him, throwing her arms around her friend. Demetri was the closest thing that she had to a friend since arriving in Italy. He had her back when she needed it most, he risked his _life_ to let her go, and paid the sacrifice. He knew almost more than anyone what it was like to be helpless under Aro’s manipulation and control as well. “It’s **_Aro’_** s fault. He told you to do it.”  
  
  
“ **I** killed her though, not him,” the vampire argued. But he relented and relaxed into her hug, and she felt him place a cold hand on her back. It was comforting. She realized that it _felt like family._ “I don’t know if she was your friend, I wasn’t thinking about that back then, I—”  
  
  
“I know,” she released him from the hug and looked up at him, “Listen, I can’t…I can’t be mad at both you _and_ Aro. I need you…I need a friend right now. You’ve done something horrible but not for the same reasons as Aro. And for that, I _can_ forgive you.”  
  
  
Her friend hummed. “But not Aro, eh?” Demetri quipped, and she frowned and shook her head. The vampire sighed, and lifted himself off of the bed, disappearing from the room and reappearing with a large box in his hands. At the sight of the box, Ramona felt a shiver crawl up her spine— _the last box she sifted through brought her nothing but bad news._ Demetri seemed to notice that and opened the box, revealing not piles of deceased people’s passports and IDs, but rather her clothing. “Aro had me bring back clothes and stuff for you. He said you’d need it.”  
  
  
She took it carefully and searched through it; like the last time she had left, Aro did well at remembering to bring all of her clothing, both regular and dance clothes. Her hand caught on a familiar soft piece of cloth; it was Odette’s baby blanket. Her heart stung.  
  
  
 _How could I have forgotten this?_

 _  
Aro knew that you would want this_ , she thought, feeling a little bit of love through the sweet reminder of the blanket. She pressed her nose to the soft cotton and inhaled; she couldn’t smell anything, but one night Aro had told her that the blanket still held the scent of their baby. Still, knowing that it was there, comforted her.   
  


_One nice deed is not enough to forgive him of his incredibly extensive range of bad deeds_ , her mind told her skeptically. Ramona sighed, placing the blanket under her pillow for safe keeping. She looked up at Demetri, who was staring at her sadly. She shook her head.  
  
  
“It’s fine.” Ramona insisted, taking a deep sigh. “I don’t want to talk about that.”  
  
  
“Okay.” 

  
She flopped back unceremoniously on the bed and stared up at the ceiling, as if she could speak to God through it and get all of the answers. “My life’s a mess, Demetri.” She felt him join her, as he too stared up at the unanswering ceiling. They laid there in silence for a few minutes, both of them going over in their minds the messy situation that Ramona found herself in.  
  
  
“Yeah. It is.” he finally agreed.  
  
  
Ramona turned her head slightly to look at him. He smirked knowingly back.  
  
  
They laughed.  
  
  
“ _Fucking_ ** _hell_** , I got to get up for work,” Ramona groaned, handing him back the drink. “Give me ten minutes and we’ll get going,” she grabbed a random leotard, some tights, and a skirt from the box. “Don’t drink all of my coffee.” she teased. The vampire snorted.  
  
  


* * *

  
The day ended up flying by rather quickly; Signora Ionetti announced the casting list when they arrived that morning and everyone was quickly abuzz over the roles that they got. Ramona didn’t land Swanhilda; she didn’t think that she _would_ , considering she was so new and gone for so long. But she was surprised that her friend Sara did not get the lead, but rather the understudy…the lead going to a prima ballerina who had been in the company for quite a while and was likely on her way out soon.  
  
  
Ramona was thankful to not have gotten understudy. She didn’t want to have to worry about the poor dancer’s life constantly because she had an ill-intentioned, homicidal boyfriend with poor boundaries. And Ramona landed one of the non-lead solo performances, the prayer variation in Act III, which she was very excited about and felt she couldn’t complain.  
  
  
Due to the three of their good fortunes—Sara as understudy, Ramona with the prayer variation, and Claudia landing the dawn variation—the three girls decided to celebrate by going to a nearby bar. Demetri had stopped by to pick Ramona up but she explained to him that she had no intention of going home right away, and the vampire nodded and left her alone. Although she noticed that he began to text furiously right as he was leaving.  
  
  
 ** _Good,_** _let Aro know I’m going out and having a good time without him_ —she thought petulantly, before turning to her friends and giggling all the way to the bar.  
  
  
It was nice. _Normal._ It was just what Ramona needed after dealing with so much weirdness and chaos for the last few months, and she hadn’t hung out with any girl friends since she arrived in Italy. The evening was beautiful, the sky was clear, and they picked a small bar with dangling soft white lights and the enchanting fragrance of fresh baked bread and warm Italian food wafting in the air. They grabbed an outside table and a pitcher of sangria, and toasted to their successes.  
  
  
However, it wasn’t long before the conversation diverted into more personal matters.  
  


“Sooooo,” Claudia drawled, taking a sip of her sangria and looking at Ramona in interest. “What did your hottie do to you _now_?” She shared a look with Sara, who joined in on the giggling as well. They remarked earlier on her bad mood and correctly associated it with Aro. Ramona was less amused.  
  
  
“He lied… _again_ ,” she huffed into her own drink. She took a long gulp as she processed what had happened. “Well, _omitted information_ , but that’s basically the same thing as lying.”  
  
  
“ _Is it?_ ” Sara piped up, brushing back her long brown hair. “I don’t think it is.”  
  
  
“It _totally_ is,” Claudia argued. “It means he was trying to hide something from her. AKA: _lying._ ”  
  
  
Ramona nodded. “That’s how I see it too. Anyway, he’s just done one bad thing after another, _after another_ —” she thought about everything that they went through together, “ _He’s exhausting.”  
  
_

“Mmm, but you _loveeeee_ him,” Sara cooed. Claudia rolled her eyes at her friend’s antics.  
  
  
“So what is happening now?” she asked, “Did you break up with him?”  
  
  
Ramona shrugged. “I don’t even know, I just kinda…left. I had been sleeping over at his place and I told him I needed space, so I went back to my condo—” she left out the information that the condo was actually Aro’s, “and now, I just haven’t seen him for a couple of days. And we haven’t talked about it.”  
  
  
“Sounds like you need to talk about it,” Sara smirked into her glass. “And who knows? Maybe he has a good reason for keeping things from you. And then you can have awesome make up sex—”  
  
  
“ ** _OR_** —” Claudia interrupted, narrowing her blue eyes at her friend. “You should do a pros and cons list. Tally up the reasons why you should stay with him, or leave his ass. And then make a decision.”  
  
  
Ramona snorted. “God, I don’t even know where I would start,” she took a large gulp of her sangria. Claudia took out a pen and pad of paper from her purse and looked at her expectantly. She considered it. “Okay. Cons first?”  
  
  
She scowled, “He’s _rude, arrogant, manipulative, selfish, self-centered_ ,” she ignored Sara’s remark that they were the same thing, and continued counting Aro’s faults on her fingers, “and he lies, and tries to control _everything_ because he has horrible control issues. And he’s done some **_really fucked up_** things.”  
  
  
Claudia raised an eyebrow but wrote everything down. “Like what?”  
  
  
 _Like having Demetri kill Angelina_ —  
  
  
Well, that certainly wouldn’t go over well. Ramona tried her best to think up a good cover but couldn’t come up with anything. She decided to keep it as vague as possible. “Just—bad things.Things I’d rather not talk about.”  
  
  
She watched as Sara mouthed _“drug dealer”_ to Claudia, who shook her head and wrote something down. Ramona wanted to laugh; Aro being a drug dealer would be a piece of cake compared to the truth. The Italian girl shook her head and moved her hand to the other side of the paper. “...Pros?”  
  
  
“He’s **_hottttt_** —” Sara giggled, and Claudia nodded and wrote it down. Ramona groaned in exasperation. Last week, Aro made the mistake of popping into her studio to bring her home instead of Corin, and her friends managed to get a peek of the vampire. She had been dealing with their comments for days now. “A middle aged, rich _daddy_ —”  
  
  
“Oh god, _stop_ —” Ramona pinched the bridge of her nose. She was trying to have a serious conversation about the collapse of her relationship and here was her new friend giggling over Aro like a schoolgirl. “Fine, you can put ‘physically attractive’ on the pros list. Even though it’s a monumentally _shallow_ reason.”  
  
  
The other ballerina with the short brown curls smirked and began writing, “Okay, phys-ic-ally attractive. What else?” Claudia dotted her ‘i’s and crossed her ‘t’s, “What is that you like about this guy? What drew you in to begin with?”  
  
  
 _What drew her in?_ Ramona remembered how she first met Aro, her dark haired vampire, _so handsome_ with his charming smile, smooth words. How he _so easily_ enraptured her, right away, and she was practically helpless to stop herself from falling for him. Because he and her…they shared more than just passion and unfettered sexual attraction. They shared a love for the arts, for music, for dance, history…underneath warm sheets, in the steam of the shower, and in the comfy loveseats of his office, they shared opinions with each other and could talk for hours; about politics, government, her family, her friends, her past, his past, her dreams for the future, and his own dreams— _everything._

  
Aro, despite his many, _many_ faults… **understood** her, in a way that nobody else had ever understood her. He saw in her, more than just a pretty face. They were companions; puzzle pieces that seemed to fit each other perfectly, like they were somehow made for each other. The touch of destiny around the two of them.  
  


She knew that.  
  
  
Ramona sighed. “He… _gets_ me,” she tried to explain, feeling her heartstring pull thinking of her lover. “It’s hard to explain. But— _nobody_ has made me feel this way before.”

  
Claudia wrote something down. “Okay…anything else?” she asked skeptically.  
  
  
She shrugged. None of the reasons she could think of she could really put into words, or even explain to the two ballerinas. They remained hidden in her heart, buried underneath all of the sadness that Aro’s bullshit brought up.  
  
  
The girls glanced at each other, and then at her sadly. “Well…hopefully you can figure something out,” Sara said softly, the romantic in her shining through. “True love only comes once in a lifetime.”  
  
  
Her other friend rolled her eyes. “Forget true love, just do what you think is right, Ramona,” she finished off her own drink with a large gulp, and wiped her face. She smirked suddenly. “ _Besides,_ if it doesn’t work out with the boyfriend, we know that there’s a certain maestro that is interested in you—” she teased in a sing-song voice.  
  
  
 _Luca._ Ramona nearly forgot about him. But thinking about him didn’t do her any favors, and only would make things more complicated. She shook her head and laughed at her friend. “I have enough problems in my life right now to even _think_ about other guys—”  
  


It was late when she finally got back to the condo, her feet sore and tired, but her mind was buzzing with adrenaline after the conversation with her friends. It was almost 9PM by the time the taxi cab dropped her off, and she kicked off her shoes and ran into the shower. The hot steam relaxed her aching joints and she was looking forward to reading a book and doing some stretching before going to bed. 

She changed into a light pair of pajamas and was getting ready to settle into the couch and read a book when a knock on the door interrupted her night. Trepidation washed over her as she stared at the door, knowing just who was likely on the other side.   
  


* * *

Every single minute that Aro had to spend waiting til he could see Ramona again was practically torture, not knowing what she was thinking, how she was feeling, what she was going to do—it was when she ran away to Forks all over again, leaving him alone and missing her terribly. He had spent the day trying to distract himself from all thoughts of her, but found that he could barely do that for two minutes before his mind traitorously was brought back to her.  
  
  
Marcus had of course attempted to catch his ear, but Aro was steadily avoiding the vampire; he didn’t want to know the state of his and Ramona’s bond, nor was he in the mood for any _‘I told you so’_ chastising. Aro was feeling awful enough as it was, he had no desire to worsen his mood by being reminded of his own mistakes.  
  
  
Caius made a few snide comments when he noticed that his human mate did not return to the castle. Aro tried his best to ignore him, keeping his focus on the small issues that appeared to him throughout the day.   
  


At 6PM, his cell phone buzzed and he practically jumped out of his skin, not expecting anything from Ramona but dearly hoping so. But it wasn’t from Ramona, but rather Demetri, who was telling him that she had decided to go out to drinks and dinner with some friends after work.   
  


It was vexing, but somehow Aro _knew_ it was supposed to be; _it was a test,_ surely. Mona wanted to see if he would let her go out with her human friends without a fuss. She wanted to see how much of his tightly wound control he’d let go for her.  
  
  
So he texted Demetri back and told him not to bother her. _Besides,_ allowing her human friends could only benefit him in the long run—it was another string to tie her to Italy so she wouldn’t go running off again.

  
The vampire waited until she returned to the condo later that night, hoping that an evening of chit-chatting and gossiping or _whatever_ _women did in their free time_ , along with the physiological relaxation of alcohol, would make her more agreeable. He needed to talk to her, make her _understand_ , but for that she needed to be willing to listen. Which in their last conversation she had no intention or wherewithal of doing.  
  
  
Aro could hear her inside the condo, humming to herself, one of the familiar variations from Act II of Swan Lake. _In fact_ —Aro realized it was the same one she danced to when they first met. His chest ached, and he wondered if she somehow knew he was there, knew he was listening, or if it was the mating bond that unconsciously called for her to sing her sweet swan song. Was it a happy coincidence? But to Aro, it felt like fate nudging him towards her, reminding him that _she was his_ and _he was hers_.  
  
  
He heard her settle down onto the couch and begin to flip the flimsy paper of some book, and decided he could wait no longer. Prodded forward by love, _or was it obsession_ , Aro strolled to the front steps of the condo and knocked. He heard that delicious heartbeat quicken in her breast. Always _tempting_ , a siren call to the beast within him, reminding him of her frail humanity. But Aro had managed to control the beast a while ago, push down the urge to consume her intoxicating blood— _he was thankful that Mona was not his singer like Bella was Edward’s_ , as he was unsure if he could have resisted for so long.  
  
  
She was worth it though. Worth the pain, the dry mouth, the whispering venom, the rage of the beast within.  
  
  
He loved her.  
  
  
Which made it harder as she opened the door to greet him with a wary expression. Aro ignored her distasteful glance and looked at the rest of her and stifled a groan—his mate was practically naked, wearing only a slim tank top and pair of shorts. So revealing with her soft, supple skin, pale and unkissed by the sun— _how he wanted to kiss those thighs.  
  
_ _  
_Aro stopped his fantasizing before it got out of control. Especially since the look she was giving him became no kinder; her dark eyes were glaring up at him, eyebrows narrowed, her lips pursed in disapproval. Lips that he _so desperately_ wanted to kiss, and suck, and **_bite_** —  
  
  
“What are you doing here?” Mona asked, crossing her arms. “You are supposed to be staying away.”  
  
  
Aro had always been a creature of impulse, he could hardly help it. He crossed that invisible barrier that she erected and pushed his body against hers, backing her up against the door. “As if I could stay away,” he murmured into her neck.  
  
  
He heard her breath hitch. “There’s a good reason I asked you to stay away,” she managed, and Aro pouted.  
  
  
“There is no good reason for us to be away from each other this long, cara mia,” he insisted, brushing her hair away from her face. His eyes flickered down to her lips. “It’s been long enough.”  
  
  
Absentmindedly, she licked her lips. “I—” the words were caught in her throat. “I can’t—”  
  
  
“ _You_ ** _can_** ,” he urged her on as he pressed harder against her small form. Despite her hesitation, he could smell her arousal and it was all the encouragement that he needed. “Mona—”  
  
  
She squirmed underneath him. “You need to go…”  
  
  
“Let me inside,” Aro went on, his hands caressing her waist. “Let me inside the house,” he continued, squeezing her tighter, “inside your mind,” his hands were itching to touch her bare skin, the thin cotton preventing him from knowing what she was thinking. “Inside your _mouth_ ,” he thought of kissing her, and how exquisitely warm she was. He hardened, and growled in her ear. “ ** _Inside your body_** —”  
  
  
Ramona gasped, her eyelids fluttering as he pressed his thick, hard member that was _throbbing_ angrily in his trousers against her inner thigh. All that separated them was a button, a zipper, and her flimsy shorts. How _easy it would be_ to just pull them down and take her against the door, in the middle of the street, exposed _just how she liked it_ —  
  


She must have realized that too, because she attempted to hide a quiet moan as his thumb brushed against her nipple. With her body’s barriers seeming to come crashing down, Aro risked moving his thumb up to her bare shoulder. And then he concentrated.  
  
  
Because she was so distracted, her mind was an open book, and her most recent memories came flooding forward into his own like a streaming river.  
  
  
It only took a matter of seconds to go through everything that had transpired since he last touched her mind. Drinks with giggling friends— _pros and cons of staying with him, how banal_ —dancing at work, getting the solo role, seeing Demetri and, _of fucking course_ , forgiving him right away— _far quiker and easier than she’d ever forgive him)._ He saw her at the church, which caught his interest, as Aro knew she was never particularly religious. But she was crying about her soul, and _his soul_ ,which made him uncomfortable as it was an issue that he had also pushed down, **_deep, deep down_** , because he didn’t enjoy considering his likely eventual damnation.  
  
  
Then their fight, her horror at finding the girl’s license, her unease of his diet, her conversation with Sulpicia—

  
Aro stopped caressing her body and tightened his grasp, causing her to wince in pain. Her arms were sure to bruise from his anger… **anger** , that was beginning to overwhelm every atom of his body until he was seeing red.  
  
  
Sulpicia told Ramona about their marriage…about how he used Corin to placate her, and speculated _unfairly_ that she’d share the same fate. She told her to look in the goddamn room. Gave her the directions to see firsthand the horrible violence and death that Aro had been trying to shield Ramona from as long as he could.  
  
  
 _That damn, meddling bitch_ —  
  
  
Aro almost regretted not letting Caius off her. It certainly would have made things easier for him.  
  
  
He was glad to be rid of her. And he would be rid of her for good once the lawyer finished up the paperwork for them to sign. Perhaps he would pay him a visit and make it _deadly clear_ that it was to be finished as soon as possible.  
  
  
Of course Ramona was acting this way, it all had made sense now. His ex wife whispered poison in her ear, creating a tainted picture of him in her mind.  
  
  
Of course, Sulpicia _conveniently_ left out the fact that he had only had her go to the tower for her own safety after the death of Didyme— ** _which as far as Sulpicia knew_** _should have been a fair enough excuse._ And Corin was supposed to have been a gift—  
  
  
Aro had no desire to put Ramona in that tower. And Corin was supposed to be a temporary relief, just to help ease her transition to Italy and the pain of losing their daughter.  
  
  
 _He had to explain it to her.  
  
_ _  
_Unfortunately, Mona seemed to snap out of whatever daze she had been in and understood immediately what was happening. “ ** _No_**!” she yelled, and pushed against his shoulders. It did nothing, his body strong and unyielding as stone, which seemed to incense her more. “I told you to go away, _now go_ —”  
  
  
“No,” he echoed, his voice steeling. “You need to let me explain things now. Things are not as they seem, let me in—” she blushed darkly at that, but stood resolute in her anger. He tried not to get distracted by the beautiful color. “Let me into your heart again.”  
  
  
The sweet words seemed to disarm her for a moment, the frown and twisted sneer disappearing from her face and replaced with a mask of confusion. Her brown eyes darted back and forth as she stared at his own red ones—colors both warm, and intense, and passionate, and in so many ways both complementary and chaotic. Like the two of them, sometimes too similar for their own good.  
  
  
“Let me into your heart,” he repeated, tilting her chin up, enjoying how her long curls cascaded down like obsidian waves against her back. “I love you, Ramona.”  
  
  
 _I love him_ —he heard her mind raging a war within itself. _Why do I have to love him?  
  
_ _  
_Like he was some kind of **curse.  
  
**  
If Aro was being honest, he would have to admit, that _hurt_ , but he brushed it aside. All that mattered was that she still loved him. But of course, she wasn’t done—  
  
  
 _Sometimes love isn’t enough_ , her mind whispered conspiratorially against him, and he watched as she instantly recalled all of his “bad” deeds.  
  
  
It was incredibly frustrating; to watch her mind work so hard against him.  
  
  
Ramona took a deep breath and distracted herself by straightening his tie and smoothing out his lapels. She didn’t even look up at him. “You should go,” she said quietly, before letting go.  
  
  
Although he was not human, Aro was certain he was experiencing whiplash. This did _not_ go how he had planned. “I do not want to,” he responded, rather petulantly.  
  
  
“I know,” her voice became steadier, stronger, and he was reminded once more that his mate was not some young, silly girl, but a woman. “But I’m going to need you to anyway.”  
  
  
“I am not going to stay away for long,” Aro promised her, but she didn’t say anything to that. She just looked away from him, at the sky, or the stars, or maybe it was just the flickering street lamp— _anywhere but at him._ He wanted to force her to look up at him, to make her see how this was doing nothing but making them both unnecessarily miserable…but he didn’t. Aro stepped away from his mate, lifted her hand and gave her a final kiss on her knuckles, and let her go. For now.  
  
  


* * *

Aro’s arrival and departure left Ramona feeling lightheaded, as she replayed the scene over and over again in her mind all night. Aro’s body flush against hers, his hands on her waist, his lips against her skin…she shivered, feeling the heat pool in between her legs and she had to stifle the sheer desire _blazing_ through her at his touch.  
  
  
It was not easy telling a vampire, particularly one with as large an ego and an out-of-control control complex, to get lost. She couldn’t even look at him; she knew that the look he was giving her would break her resolve. Make her feel bad for him.  
  
  
 _For him!_  
  
  
As if he were somehow a victim in all of this.  
  
  
Ramona went to bed that night and struggled to sleep, her dreams plagued with thoughts of the vampire—both good and bad. And when he wasn’t haunting her dreams, he somehow found his way into her workplace through the teasing of her friends. Her thoughts were never allowed to stray too far from him; even dancing, as she tried to perfect her solo, her mind kept wandering back to him. _How is he doing? Does he miss me? Is he sorry for what happened? Can I ever forgive him?  
  
_ _  
_Strangely enough, the rest of the week flew by and she didn’t see or hear a peep from Aro. ** _Nothing_**. She finally relented on Friday and asked Demetri, who continued to escort her to and from the ballet studio, if he knew what was going on, but he didn’t have an answer for her. Ramona decided it was for the best—she needed _at least_ a week away from Aro to figure out her feelings about their relationship.  
  
  
In the second week, Ramona felt weird that Aro was still leaving her alone, but she decided that she was going to take the opportunity to focus on work. Her toes were bleeding and every muscle was burning in pain at the end of each day because she let herself fall totally into dance, distracting herself from wondering where he was.  
  
  
By the third week, she was starting to worry that something bad had happened to Aro, and she was fighting every bone within her body that was telling her to go back to Volterra to check on him. Aro _said_ that he wasn’t going to stay away for long— _how long_ did he consider a long time? He was a vampire, over a thousand years old, his perception of time must have been far different than hers…would he stay away for months? She didn’t think so, she only had a year to live as a human…or at least, that’s what they agreed to. _Unless things changed.  
  
_ _  
_She was confused.  
  
  
Ramona would constantly look over her shoulder, or peer out the window of the studio, to see if she would catch a glimpse of Aro, wondering if he was following her. But she saw nothing. It seemed that he listened to her, that he decided he _really would_ stay away from her. She was beginning to feel restless— _she needed a_ ** _distraction_** , because work wasn’t enough to distract her from the emptiness she was beginning to feel. 

  
One Friday night, she was finishing up and searching all over for her backpack when she felt a hand on her back, and she turned around to see Luca holding it out to her. The maestro was smiling his lopsided, charming smile at her, and she couldn’t help but blush a little. “Thanks,” she said, grabbing the backpack. He nodded.  
  
  
“Hey, so I was just wondering…not sure if anyone told you, but a whole bunch of us are going out tonight to the discoteca,” he started, and when she began to look unsure, he added quickly, “Claudia and Sara are coming too—and few other girls from the company. You should come.” The words were awkward, but it was endearing on him. “It’ll be fun.”  
  
  
Ramona considered it. She hadn’t had a fun night out like that in a _long time_ , especially not at a nightclub. Because she spent so much time working and perfecting her dancing, she hadn’t been to a nightclub since….what, _the end of college?_ It had been years. She used to love dancing at clubs, it was one of the ways that she met many of her former flames and there was something to be said about getting drunk, dancing to upbeat electronic and pop songs, and forgetting all of her problems for just a few hours.

 _  
Aro wouldn’t like it_ , her mind told her, but she brushed it aside. Aro hadn’t seen her for a month. As far as she was concerned, he didn’t care what she got upto.   
  
  
“Yes,” she told the maestro, whose grin widened in excitement. Her stomach rolled unhappily but she ignored it. “I’m down for it.”  
  


* * *

  
**Some of y'all requested that Ramona gets friends, well here you go, I gave her some friends! lol  
**

**And I gave her a Luca. Nothing bad can happen from this, right?  
**

_**Anyways.....** _ **thank you all so much for your love and support, next chapter will hopefully be out soon!! I am taking a mini vacation at the end of this week so I don't know if I'll get a chance to write, but I might bring my laptop along with me, so who knows, maybe I'll be able to write while I'm away.**


	36. Staring Into the Eyes of the Monster

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I KNOW, I KNOW - IT FEELS LIKE FOREVER.
> 
> In reality, it's only been like a week (well 8 days). But I SPOILED y'all for way too long with my 2-3 updates a WEEK. But you know what? This chapter is one of the longest I've done in a HOT MINUTE (like 12-13 pages?) so like....YOU CAN'T COMPLAIN, I GAVE YOU A LONG ONE.
> 
> So....I have no idea how this chapter is going to go with people lol Like, absolutely NONE. 
> 
> I guess I should put a Trigger Warning up here? But...idk how to do that without giving stuff away, so...I mean, hopefully you all realize that this story has adult themes by now, and you should expect anything and everything to happen. It's rated E. This story is gonna have sex, violence, gore...you know, the works. 
> 
> Anyways, LET ME KNOW WHAT YOU THINK AND IF YOU LIKE IT OR ABSOLUTELY HATE ME AND NEVER WANT ME TO WRITE AGAIN.
> 
> I think...I think what happens in this chapter...needed to happen. I'm just gonna say that now. I just...maybe I'll chat more about it in the beginning of the next chapter (besides whatever I respond to in the comment section). 
> 
> Anywho...I love you all!!!! Thank you all for being amazing readers on this rollercoaster of a story!
> 
> (also tomorrow is my birthday so it'll be the best birthday present to know that you don't all hate me from this chapter lol)

* * *

It had been a month. An _entire,_ ** _horrendous, bloody excruciatingly_** long month away from Ramona. Aro did not have a plan when he had left her that day, except that he would leave her alone for a time before he, _if it came to it_ , had to force his way back into her life. Originally, he thought he’d give her a few days to cool off—maybe even a week, if she persisted. But as the days went by, and then a week, and he still heard nothing from her, nor received any phone calls or texts—he realized she was doing _a lot_ better without him. Far better than he was doing without _her_ , for sure.  
  
  
So Aro decided that he would wait her out. To wait until she missed him, however long that took. _Well_ , _perhaps not too long,_ he mused. _Surely she will miss me after a couple of months at the longest.  
  
_ _  
_And so he wallowed around Volterra in the most egregious of self pity, not giving a damn if anybody noticed his misery. After all, Marcus had been miserable for hundreds of years. Aro was allowed his share of desolation too.  
  
  
He intended continuing on his path of malcontent when he received a text from Demetri one night at a rather peculiar time. He was in the throne room with his brothers discussing a petulant guard dispute when the notification on his cell phone buzzed. Hesitant, Aro opened the message and read it slowly. Caius watched as the eager expression turned to one of concern as a frown marred the dark haired vampire’s face.  
  
  
“Is that not your love begging for your return?” Caius asked, amused with his own joke.  
  
  
Aro glowered at Caius, before directing his displeasure back at the phone and its traitorous message. “No, it’s from Demetri,” he could hear the bitterness in his own voice and it even surprised him. “To tell me that Ramona has elected to go out to a discoteca tonight.”  
  
  
His misfortune was met with silence until Caius could hold it in no longer and began laughing in earnest. It was met with a glare. “I am sorry, brother. But it does not seem that your mate is missing you _quite_ as much as you had hoped.”  
  
  
A nightclub. His mate was going to a _nightclub_. He hadn’t perused many nightclubs in his life. He was practically an ancient by the time the first one came to be, and as he understood it, they had changed dramatically since he was last at one. But he understood the concept well enough. A dark lit room with loud music, booze, and sexually ravenous humans moving to the beat in uncultured, unadulterated debauchery.  
  
  
And Ramona was going to be there _without_ him.  
  
  
Just the thought made his insides twist with jealousy, as he imagined his woman, _sinfully hot, dusted with the scent of pheromones_ , dancing with some lesser male. Her body swaying, hips tantalizing, drawing in someone’s gaze. Someone’s **_ill-intentioned attention_** —  
  
  
“That’s it,” he growled, unable to stand the hateful imagery any longer. “I’m going.” He stood up resolutely, straightening his tie before heading to his quarters. Caius watched him leave and raised an eyebrow in amusement.  
  
  
“Did Aro say he was going to a nightclub?” he smirked.  
  
  
Marcus shook his weary head. “God help them all.”  
  
  


* * *

  
  
A shout echoed through her condo and Ramona winced and apologized to her friend Sara, whom she accidentally burned with the curler. She invited her two friends to her place to have dinner and get ready, as well as asked Sara to bring her an extra dress because she had nothing to wear. Her friend supplied her with a hot pink, tight mini dress that Ramona would usually in _no way_ feel comfortable wearing out, but…well, tonight she decided she didn’t give a **fuck** about anything. Skanky, uncomfortable dresses included.  
  
  
They took a taxi and ended up meeting the rest of girls from the studio, as well as Luca and a few of the male dancers, outside the club. They only had to wait in line for about 10 minutes before they were let in—Luca apparently knew the bouncer at the entryway and he let them cut a half a dozen people, who glared at the group in anger.  
  
  
Entering the discoteca felt like she was entering an entirely new world; one where the comfort of perfection and order disappeared entirely, and was replaced by passion, heat, and chaos.  
  
  
The music was _blaring_ , the heavy bass practically shaking the entire room and she could _feel_ the sound in her bones. The lights cast a pink glow on everybody and everything, and green strobe lights streamed out all over the crowd like a neon web. People were rocking and dancing and grinding to the beat, losing themselves in the heat of the moment. The air smelled of liquor and sweat, and her body warmed up immediately in the packed club.  
  
  
“Let’s get shots!” Sara yelled over the music, and Claudia and Ramona nodded and followed her to the bar. Luca came up behind him and ordered shots for the entire group, good vibes flowing like a virus as they all cheered for the new production. Ramona knocked back the shot, letting the whisky slide down the back of her throat. It burned, but it felt _good_ , and it made her feel more alive.  
  
  
“What else do you want?” she heard Luca ask, his mouth close to her ear so she could hear him over the music. She was thankful for the dimmed lights so that he couldn’t see her blush. “What’s your poison?”  
  
  
 _Ah,_ ** _drinks_** —that was what he meant. “I’ll have a Manhattan,” she told him. He chuckled.  
  
  
“Classy girl,” he winked at her, and he moved to the bar to order the two of them drinks. As he was doing so, she let herself sway to the beat as she looked around the club and pretended to be able to hear what Claudia was saying to her.  
  
  
“A Manhattan for the girl from Manhattan,” the masculine voice said behind her, and Luca reached around her to hand her the drink. She took it, and tried not to think about the feeling of his hand on the small of her back.  
  
  
“Thanks, but I actually lived in Brooklyn,” she corrected him, feeling somewhat protective of her old city. Not that it mattered though. She’d probably _never_ live in Brooklyn ever again.  
  
  
“That’s cool,” he said offhandedly, like he didn’t really think that was all that cool at all. It irked her. Aro would have asked her what the difference was between Brooklyn and Manhattan— _even if he already knew_ —he would have asked her what she liked better about it, or _why_ should picked to live in Brooklyn—  
  
  
 _Stop thinking about Aro_ , her mind yelled at her, and she shook her head.  
  
  
“Let’s dance!” Sara yelled again, and she pulled her friends out into the large pit in the middle of the club. It was as _suffocating_ as Ramona remembered it being, her body touching random people as they crammed all into the small space. Half naked waitresses walked around the club offering neon colored jello shots, and the DJ was shouting into the mic and pumping everyone up. The music seemed to get louder in the crowd, unfamiliar electronic music pulsating like crazy, and she let her brain shut down so she could enjoy it.  
  
  
And she _enjoyed_ it. It had been a long time since she went clubbing, and like a drug the music gave her an addictive high. The night was young, and she felt like she had the energy to keep on dancing until her feet fell off.  
  
  
Ramona wasn’t sure how or when it happened, but at some point her friends got snatched away— _well, maybe that was the wrong word, they went_ ** _very_** _willingly_ —by some handsome strangers to dance and engage in all manners of perversion. She was alone with Luca…at least, as alone as you can be with hundreds of people dancing around you. Mystified by her own actions, she allowed him to pull her in close and tight against him.  
  
  
He was hot. And not just in the attractive way, but he felt like fire against her. She was so used to Aro’s unnatural chill; how his cool hands sent shivers up her spine and set goosebumps along her arms. This was different. She could feel the sweat on the back of his neck when she brushed her fingers against his curls, and smell the musk coming off him mixed with cheap cologne.  
  
  
She couldn’t be sure how long they spent dancing, but the alcohol was blurring her memory and thoughts and broke down all of her inhibitions. Her body was flush against his and she felt every inch and curve of him. And it was, _well…it was certainly_ ** _something_** —  
  
  
 _What are you doing?_ Her mind was yelling at her.  
  
  
But she could barely hear it over the humming of the club.  
  
  
Then she _felt that_ ** _pull_** —  
  
  
That achingly familiar pull, the one that she had grown to know and love and come accustomed to over time. She broke her gaze from the Italian and scanned the nightclub looking for that face. Ramona knew what it was— _he’s here.  
  
_ _  
_Luca’s body now felt like hellfire as she thought in horror about Aro finding them in that position. She continued to look around the room for a pale white face and shocking red eyes.  
  
  
Finally, her gaze landed towards the back of the club where her vampire was watching her from afar— _there he is_ , she thought. She wondered for a moment why he wasn’t wearing his usual suit… _perhaps he wanted to blend in with the crowd?_ His white button up shirt was far more casual than his usual setup and he rolled up the sleeves, revealing his strong arms. She tore her gaze from his arms to see his face. Aro didn’t look angry, he didn’t even look particularly upset; he was just watching them in interest. She couldn’t see the color of his eyes from where she was and she wondered if he bothered to put in contacts. Just seeing him again, for the first time in a whole month, made the butterflies in her stomach flutter unrestrained and uncontrolled as if just released from a jar.  
  
  
Ramona felt Luca’s breath blow against the side of her neck; it was _suffocating_ , like tear gas tightening her throat. And too close— _far,_ ** _far_** _too close_ —  
  
  
“Can you get me a drink?” Ramona said quickly, jerking her head away from him as he got uncomfortably too close for his own good. He looked a bit disappointed but nodded, and left her where she was in the sea of dancers. She glanced back over, and Aro was still there, leaning against the wall, a nonmoving statue. A few girls and even a couple of guys tried to get the vampire’s attention but he ignored them. His focus remained solely on her.  
  
  
A puppet loosely strung, she weaved her way through the crowd towards him. She felt like she was on fire, and her body was craving his cool skin on hers like a drug. There was sweat on her skin and not all of it hers, and the club was beginning to feel more and more revolting as seconds passed on. The music changed and she felt a hand grab her wrist. Ramona twitched and saw some stranger holding her and leaning down. “Vuoi ballare, bella?” he asked, his breath perfumed with alcohol.  
  
  
She glanced back at Aro— _he must be pissed_ , she thought. Some random guy was touching, _no_ — **manhandling** his mate. He had the gall to just grab her without permission. Aro would come over here and _snap his neck_ —  
  
  
But he _didn’t_ , and it didn’t look like he would; an elegant brow was raised in interest but Aro didn’t move, or stop him. Instead, he watched her like he would a particularly entertaining sports game, or a show. And he was the captive audience.  
  
  
Fire flared within her as she realized he had no intention of saving her from this stranger. _He wasn’t going to stop him_ —  
  
  
 _Fuck it_ , she thought, and she let the stranger pull her in close and grind his hips into hers. Ramona didn’t enjoy it, but it wasn’t the first time she found herself in a nightclub pressed against someone she wasn’t even interested in. The sickening feeling in her stomach was lightened by the fact that she had no intention of going home with said bad mistake.  
  
  
When the song ended, she immediately detached herself and continued towards Aro. The trek to him felt a million miles long—she was stopped two more times on her way over, and in her pettiness she gave them both some brief attention. As she pulled away from the third guy, she felt the first cool touch she had felt all night on the back of her arm, and was pulled backwards into a strong, steel chest. The random guy she was dancing with attempted to stop him but whatever look Aro must have given him seemed to spook him off.  
  
  
Ramona felt cool lips against her ear. “I thought that since every other man in here got a chance to _touch your body_ , that I would take a turn,” his voice was silky smooth, but she heard the edge in it, the bristly anger he was holding back. Nimble fingers brushed aside her sweaty hair and he kissed her hot skin—a shot of adrenaline to the heart. _She felt_ ** _electrified_** _.  
  
_

* * *

  
With the assistance of Demetri, it wasn’t difficult to find out what nightclub Ramona found herself invariably in, and Aro found himself lost in the madness of lights and an unruly crowd of delinquents. He felt out of place, an ancient relic surrounded by a hurricane of youth without a care in the world, not knowing that a monster crawled in their midst. Although perhaps they could _sense it,_ ** _the danger_** , as the crowd naturally parted its way for him.  
  
  
He could hear every single heartbeat in the crowd, all elevated beautifully from their willful cavorting. The beast inside him purred in delight, and he had an image of himself devouring the ignorant humans, blood splattered on the dance floor like a painting.  
  
  
But he ignored his hunger, the desire to feed far more inconsequential than his desire to find Ramona. He tried his best to ignore the humans around him— _some of the braver ones who saw Aro’s beauty and tried to get his attention_ —to find his mate in the crowd. Demetri was able to help him and soon enough they found his human, tucked away neatly in the middle of the dancefloor. _In the arms of_ ** _that_** _human_ —  
  
  
Fury raged within and it took every ounce of self control that he had not to burst over there in inhuman speed, rip the man’s arms off of **_his_** woman, and tear into him. Caution be damned, he’d destroy the evidence of the scene and kill the entire nightclub if he had to—  
  
  
The beast growled in agreement. Common sense reminded him how impossible a feat that would be. And he had already risked his coven’s reputation and vampire world’s safety for the girl enough as it was…to do so would be _madness_.  
  
  
Even though surrendering to the madness would be so, _so satisfying_ —  
  
  
So Aro just waited, and watched her.  
  
  
Watching Mona in his arms was torture, especially considering how good she looked. And **_fuck_** —she looked **_good._** His mate was wearing some ridiculously tight, short dress that he had never seen her in before, that hugged her small curves and accentuated her waist deliciously. The artificial glow of the club lights made her look mesmerizing, made her movements look even more out of this world. She swayed in the man’s arms, black tendrils swinging side to side, the movement of her hips hypnotizing—the challenger to his affection enjoying each and every movement of hers that should be _his_ to enjoy.  
  
  
He couldn’t be sure how long he just stared at them. He thought of their last conversation, how disgusted Ramona was with him—how she saw a glimpse into the true monster within and shrinked away. It hurt, to know that she still harbored some fear of him. Aro wondered if she always would, at least, until she became a vampire herself. 

  
Could his human become one of them so easily? Could she surrender herself to the dark call of the immortal urges and do what she needed to do to survive as one of them? Or would she join her sister’s path of being some strange golden eyed creature possessed with a sense of superiority and self-aggrandizement?  
  
  
Although she never said it outloud, Aro knew that even Mona thought her sister’s coven had a strange way of being. He knew it may be hard for her, but he always believed his mate _had it in her._ **That u** **nderneath her sweet beauty...**  
  
  
Finally, those sweet, beautiful eyes found his own and he marveled how he could hear her heart beating from all away across the club. _She felt the pull_ , he realized, knowing that their bond was greater than any sense of attraction she might have felt for the human. She was staring at him with an apprehensive expression, and Aro realized she was _waiting_ for him to do something. But he wouldn’t—she was so insistent on not needing him, on not wanting him…she was a _big girl,_ she could handle herself. Well…at least, as long as she remained under his safe monitoring.  
  
  
She told the man to grab her a drink, and he left her, and Aro shifted in anticipation as he watched her try to make her way across towards him. But his mate was _so captivating_ —she captured two other men’s attention on the way over. The beast within him continued to rage in response to their gall but he stayed put, just quietly watching as his mate danced with them. Ramona’s eyes glanced over at him a few times, and he realized she was _playing_ with him. **_Teasing_** him, trying to make him jealous as her slender hands touched their skin.  
  
  
After the third man, Aro decided he had enough of this foolishness, and took his mate away from the strange man who had _dared_ to try to argue against him. But like most humans, he seemed to realize that Aro was not someone to challenge, and backed away. Now that she was in his arms, he could smell the perspiration coming off of her—it was mixed with the sweat of other men and he realized he **_hated_** it. He hated watching her dance with other men, even if it was just to tease him. “I thought that since every other man in here got a chance to _touch your body_ , that I would take a turn.”  
  
  
Her skin was so accessible to him that he could easily gather how she felt. Mona bristled at the insinuation, but he felt the desire radiating off of her as he kissed her neck. She let out a small moan, and he sighed in gratification— _she could dance with a hundred males and she’d still be_ ** _his_**.  
  
  
In that moment, time stood still and the tension in the air crystallized around them. She felt like air in his arms, the way she swayed like a gentle breeze, sweet and swift around him. Her body moved like a current but felt like the sun, her skin like flames that tickled his cool skin and made him feel lightheaded with desire.  
  
  
Her arms found their way around his neck. Her fingers played with his dark strands. Her touch was love. Her touch was _magic.  
  
_ _  
_Mona’s eyes never blinked, never left his own…they just stared up at him unwavering in the violet glow. Aro saw the strobe of the green light in her eyes, a neon shooting star flashing in a sky of darkness.  
  
  
“You are dazzling,” Aro murmured in her ear, his thumb trailing designs along her waist and he heard her breath get caught in her throat. He needed to tell her, to let her know how perfect she was. She swallowed.  
  
  
“Why are you here?” she asked him, knowing that he could hear her despite the loud music blaring in the background.  
  
  
“Like I said, carina, every other man had the opportunity to get a dance with you….I thought you might give your mate a turn,” he tried not to sound jealous, but wondered if he was failing miserably because she gave him a look. He frowned. “Are you unhappy to see me? I apologize if I interrupted your dance with your _friend_.” Aro thought of the brown haired human who was dancing with Mona to begin with; he was hardly a challenge to him, and in his opinion rather average and not that special looking.  
  
  
Mona raised an eyebrow. “Are you jealous?” she asked, a mischievous little smirk playing on her lips. Aro wanted to bite it off of her. “I didn’t think you were. You didn’t do anything to stop him.”  
  
  
Aro’s hand on her lower back pulled her in closer. “You were _teasing_ me,” he argued, enjoying how she unconsciously arched up against him. He lowered his voice. “I do not like to be teased.”  
  
  
“Well, he was a _far_ better dancer than you,” she hummed, a laugh in her throat.  
  
  
“ _I am far better at other things,_ ” he purred. A spark jolted between the two of them. Aro leaned down, ready to capture her lips with his, ready to get back his mate who had turned away from him in fear. Ready to begin anew—  
  
  


* * *

“Ramona?” a familiar Italian voice came from behind, and she turned to see Luca standing there holding out a drink for her. He was glancing at Aro in suspicion and looked altogether not pleased by the position he found them in. Ramona turned up to look at Aro’s face; his expression told a likewise hatred. Luca narrowed his eyes at the vampire, not knowing how dangerous the other man really was. Ramona took the drink from the man’s hand and uttered a thank you, and prayed that this exchange wouldn’t go badly.  
  
  
Aro, for his part, didn’t say anything to Luca. But she could _feel_ the silent rage coming off of him. Ramona stood there in the confusion, trying to think of something to say or what to do when Luca saved her the trouble.  
  
  
“You should finish that up quick,” Luca said, gesturing to the drink in her hand. She raised an eyebrow. “I was looking for you to tell you that I can’t find Claudia. And Sara is in the bathroom puking her brains out—we should probably get going.”  
  
  
Well _that_ wasn’t good. Ramona detached herself from Aro’s grasp, and downed the drink in one sip. She could hear a low growl of displeasure from the vampire behind her but she ignored it. She wiped her arm across her mouth. “Let’s go find her,” she announced, deciding to use that as an opportunity to diffuse the situation. She tilted her head up at Aro, who was clenching his teeth in anger. “I need to go,” she whispered, so quietly that she knew Luca would be unable to hear it. And then she turned away from him, and left with Luca.  
  
  
It didn’t take too long to find her friends. Ramona went into the ladies room, and after cleaning her up— _again, not her first rodeo_ —got Sara out and was ready to look for Claudia when she was there waiting for her. Claudia also looked absolutely trashed, but otherwise appeared alright, and in the corner of her eye she saw the familiar figure of Demetri stepping into the shadows— _did Aro have Demetri find her?_ Whatever the reason, she felt grateful that her friend was okay and in one piece.  
  
  
Ramona and her two girl friends left the club arm and arm, wobbling together as Luca hailed the four of them a taxi. They all climbed in and she had the cab driver drop off Claudia and Sara first, to make sure that the two girls got to their apartments okay. As the cab driver began to drive towards her own condo, she felt Luca shift towards her, and she felt that uncomfortable, hot feeling wash over her again. She tried to ignore it by looking out the window, distracting herself with the street lights and bright signs. They were getting closer to her condo, and she felt a wave of relief pass through her, and then a flash of anticipation— _would Aro be there waiting for her? What happens now?  
  
_ _  
_Luca interrupted these musings. “Hey, do you mind if I use the bathroom at your place?” he asked, the question seemingly innocent. “I really need to go—”  
  
  
 _That’s_ ** _our_** _home,_ her heard Aros’ voice growl in the back of her mind, a warning. _Do not allow_ ** _another man_** _into our home_ —  
  
  
“Yes.” the words spilled loose from her lips quickly and without much thought, silencing Aro’s warning as she decided that she would be the one to make decisions. That she wouldn’t allow the fear of Aro to dictate her life…they were, well…she wasn’t sure if they were over, but they were on a break, right? Or something to that effect…although after how he made her feel _tonight_ —  
  
  
She shook her head. She needed some air to clear her mind.  
  
  
The cab parked outside of her condo and as she fiddled with the keys, Ramona began to doubt her decision to allow Luca inside her home. She didn’t _see_ Aro here, but just because she didn’t see him, didn’t mean that neither he nor Demetri weren’t lurking about somewhere. And who knew what he would do to the unsuspecting human? Luca, who had no idea her boyfriend was a murderer, was walking into dangerous territory and she was just _letting him_ —  
  
  
 _Too late now_ , she thought bitterly, as she walked into the condo with Luca trailing behind her. The handsome Italian was looking at her in interest, a glint sparkling in his eyes that made her shift awkwardly. _This was a bad idea._ “The bathroom is over there,” she motioned towards the back of the kitchen where one of the bathrooms was; she didn’t want him in the master bathroom. He nodded and left her there, and she was alone with her thoughts again.  
  
  
 _You shouldn’t have let him in, you’re leading him on, you’re giving him the wrong idea_ , her mind reprimanded her, as she realized that letting a guy into your apartment this late at night might be seen as an invitation. She hadn’t had any one night stands for a while, but she remembered how they usually went. Ramona cursed at her own stupidity, blaming the liquor for assisting her in her bad decisions. _And you had been doing_ ** _so well_** _, too_ , her mind mocked.  
  
  
Well, Luca would have to understand that she had no intention of doing anything…  
  
  
With a sigh, Ramona tried to distract herself by cleaning up around the house so she’d feel less anxious when she told him he’d have to go. She looked in annoyance at the empty plates and silverware left in the living room from where she and her friends ate a quick dinner before they went out. She reached down to grab the plate when she felt a strong hand grasp her wrist, squeezing it tightly. In surprise, she jumped and turned to see Luca, who in that moment seemed so much _taller_ and _stronger_ than ever before. He towered over her small form, and she felt suffocated as he pressed up against her.  
  
  
 _Fuck_ , she thought, as she inhaled the smell of whisky on his lips and realized that this was going to be a lot more difficult than she thought. She tested out his grip by pulling her arm back; it was rock solid. Ramona swallowed. “Luca…I think, I think you need to go—”  
  
  
“I had a good time tonight, didn’t you?” she knew where he was going with his line on questioning—she had heard it before. **_God_** , this was going to make seeing him at work uncomfortable. “You’re a _great dancer._ I’ve always thought so—”  
  
  
His other hand found its way to her waist and she squirmed uncomfortably. “Luca, I think you got the wrong impression. I’m not interested in you like that—”  
  
  
“ _Mona_ —” he moaned her nickname, and she felt herself flare up in anger at his _audacity_ to think he could call her that. She tried again to twist out of his grip but it was all in vain. “I know that you like me.”  
  
  
“I have a _boyfriend_ ,” she spat, hoping that the reminder of Aro would help prevent him from doing anything stupid. But she was wrong. If anything, that reminder seemed to escalate his behaviors and he looked at her in annoyance.  
  
  
“A boyfriend who isn’t any good for you,” he argued, starting to back her up slowly towards the couch. She felt the back of her legs hit the couch and she tried to cement her feet into the ground. “You shouldn’t _be_ with him, Mona.”  
  


“ **Don’t** ** _presume_** to tell me who I should or shouldn’t be with,” she snapped, and tried to push against him once again in futility. “And regardless, I know I **_don’t_** want to be with you. And you’re drunk, so you have to _fucking go_ —”  
  
  
“ **No** —” Luca’s brown eyes no longer felt warm and inviting. His dimples were no longer adorable. She hated every single bit of him that she had once thought seemed charming. “Come here—”

  
And he tipped her over and they both messily landed on the couch behind them, Luca sprawled on top of her and pressing his body against hers. She yelled angrily, shouting at him to get off of her while trying to hit him as hard as she could. It didn’t seem to bother him though, and kissed her hard on her lips to silence her protests. Ramona growled against his mouth and bit him, to which he responded by shoving her face hard into the couch cushion with one hand. She heard the telltale sound of a belt being undone and her body reacted in fury, twisting and attempting to kick him off. But his knee held her down, and her screams were muffled by the cushion.  
  
  
 _What the fuck, what the fuck, what the_ ** _fuck_** —her mind was going a million miles an hour as she realized that she was about to be fucking **raped**. She was screaming and twisting in anguish and trying EVERYTHING she could to get him off of her, but it seemed useless. She could hear her heart thrashing wildly in her chest and she felt what she thought was a migraine begin to form, beating, and beating, and _beating_ at the back of her skull. It felt like she was being swallowed up whole. She couldn’t breathe, she couldn’t _think_ —  
  
  
His hand touched the inside of her sweaty thigh and inched threateningly inwards.  
  
  
She heard an animalistic type sound she wasn’t even aware she could make snarl out of her mouth in anger. His hands were clumsy and ill-mannered and Ramona knew she was about to become completely overwhelmed. But she didn’t close her eyes, _she couldn’t_ …she had to see the face of the monster that was on top of her. To remember what he looked like…to remember what _real_ evil looked like. She thought about everything that happened, everything with Aro, the fact that she thought he was a monster, but he had **_never_** _done this_ —  
  
  
 **Aro—  
  
**  
She called for him in her mind, screamed for him, for the one man who, despite what he was, showed her true love and compassion and had never laid a single _finger_ on her when she didn’t want it. Ramona knew they shared a bond. She had **_felt_** the pull of their bond. But she didn’t know how it worked. Could he _hear_ her? Could he _feel_ her pain? Her _fear? Her need for him?_ ** _Fucking GOD, ARO_** —  
  
  
And there it was, that _pull_ —a bang reverberated throughout the condo, and they both looked up to see a dark haired man kick down the door. Aro stood there, his eyes burning the brightest red she had ever seen, a feral snarl twisted on his lips…ready to pounce. _Ready to kill._ She could feel it burning off of him—the desire to kill. She could feel it in every fiber of her bones, a darkness washing over her and filling her up completely, drowning out the goodness in her. The vampire was _seconds_ away from ripping the other monster off of her and tearing him limb from limb.  
  
  
Madness crept slowly into her head and she knew that Aro was seconds away from making the choice _for her_ , from saving her…  
  
  
Ramona looked up at the man on top of her and felt hatred seep into her very being. _Disgust_ at what he thought he could **_do_** to her, _anger_ at how easily he subdued her, _resent_ for putting them in this situation…she had been trying to push past the monster, to forget the priest’s damning words about her lover, trying to bury Aro’s monster deep, _deep_ down—  
  
  
She took advantage of Luca’s distraction from the vampire’s arrival and reached her hand out _as far as she could_. She struggled underneath his weight but she **strained** —and a rush of adrenaline took over her body as she grasped the steak knife that Sara had left on the plate from dinner. Hatred continued to pulsate faster and faster.  
  
  
It just lasted a few seconds.  
  
  
Squeezing the knife in her fist, she used all of her strength to knee Luca in his crotch as hard as she could, and he backed a bit off of her with an _oof._ She used the opportunity to take the knife in her hand and _slashed_ the man across the neck, and she watched as those wicked eyes widened in horror. Blood gurgled out disgustingly and he brought his hands to his throat in a desperate attempt to stop the bleeding.  
  
  
Ramona looked away at the man who was bleeding out on top of her to glance at her vampire. Aro looked to be in shock, his eyes wide, his mouth open; all of the hostility and anger that burned off of her smoldered as he stood there watching in surprise. _Surprise_ , but not disgust…not anger, or fear, or repulsion.  
  
  
She looked at his ugly and he looked at hers.  
  
  
She stared at his monster and he stared back at hers.  
  
  
With a final glare at the bleeding out man, she gave him the final damning blow that she could do. She pushed him off of her and straight towards the vampire awaiting him. _Right into his arms.  
  
_  
Aro’s eyes asked her if she was certain. Her’s screamed in resolution.  
  
  
Ramona watched as Aro snarled, an incredible, spine shivering _inhuman_ noise, tore at the man’s flesh and **_sank his teeth_** into the bleeding jugular. Ramona watched as the man tried to scream but _couldn’t_ , his vocal chords being torn to shreds by the vampire. She watched as the man became paler and _paler_ , all the while Aro’s white face seemed to bloom with a tinge of the sweetest pink. She watched as Aro became _messy_ , seemingly uncaring that the crimson droplets were drooling down his chin and staining his white shirt. And for the first time, she saw how he truly and undeniably was, a vampire.   
  
  
And then it was done.  
  
  
Aro dropped the body unceremoniously to the floor. And she felt…safe.  
  
  
The vampire waited for her to make a move. To have a reaction... _any_ reaction.  
  
  
The ballerina ran into the vampire’s embrace—into the arms of the beast. To kiss his mouth, and let herself be devoured.  
  
  
She never expected Hell to taste so much like Heaven.

* * *

**Um.  
  
**

**So...it ALL goes up from here.  
  
**

**Like. There's nothing left to do. Nowhere lower to go...so we reached the lowest part of the rollercoaster guys.**

  
**Does....does knowing that help? Like...there's happiness ahead. If you can imagine that.**

**  
Also, did y'all think I was really going to make Ramona the damsel in distress and just have Aro save the fucking day? Like...our girl can save her own damn self. And....OH BOY, DID SHE-**


	37. Indecency

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Everyone!!!! I hope you all had a good week and are enjoying the last bits of summer. I know that I AM, I love summer so much and I'm going to be so sad and depressed when winter comes back (I live in Boston, which is cold most of the year...I hate the snow so much lol)
> 
> Anyways, I had a kinda shitty day today after receiving some disappointing news. But after reading a few reviews and after being happy with the way I finished this chapter, I felt better and a bit happier and so I'm going to post this chapter. Because posting chapters and writing this fanfiction has been one thing to keep me happy right now and keep my mind off of the shittier things happening in life.
> 
> I know a lot of you are going back to school, best of luck and I hope you all have a good time and stay safe and healthy!!! <3 <3

* * *

  
  
Aro regretted letting her leave the club with her friends and that _vermin_ almost immediately after doing so—he shouldn’t have allowed her to **_run off_** like that. Especially not after how he saw the other man look at her. The vampire didn’t have to read his mind to know that his thoughts towards Mona were anything but pure. _To let her go with him_ —it was a horrible, disastrous mistake.  
  
  
He could have stopped it. Aro could have grabbed her arm, held her close, told that asshole to properly **_fuck off_** —  
  
  
But he didn’t. Mona didn’t want him to.  
  
  
So Aro relinquished his own tight fisted control.  
  
  
And _of course_ —it all ended in a way that nobody could have ever predicted.  
  
  
Once again, proving his assertion that things almost always worked out better if he maintained some semblance of control.  
  
  
Which is why he followed them—at a distance, of course—as the taxi cab made its way through the busy city it finally reached his condo. Aro was about to breathe a sigh of relief when he saw it it was not just Mona who exited the cab, but that she was being followed in by that _fucking_ human.  
  
  
The door shut behind them, and they were out of his sight.  
  
  
Aro let out a roar in frustration. Demetri watched the vampire king pace back and forth in frustration. “She let him in the condo,” he growled angrily, a guttural, dangerous sound, vicious and full of venom. “In my condo. With my woman—and she just fucking let him in!”  
  
  
Demetri flinched at the primal display of aggression. But he was also concerned for his friend’s safety. “Maybe…maybe she’s just letting him in to use the bathroom,” he tried to come up with a good excuse. “Or…or they’re just having one of those human nightcaps—”  
  
  
Aro’s eyes narrowed dangerously. “Demetri. Do you know what a nightcap is?”  
  
  
Hesitantly, the young vampire shook his head. He forgot and lost touch with most human customs long ago. “No…”  
  
  
“When two humans share a night cap, it’s right before they go to bed for the night,” Aro hissed, “together.”  
  
  
Demetri shuffled anxiously. “I don’t think that Ramona wants that,” he said, hoping that would soothe the pissed off vampire.  
  
  
Aro thought on it. When he read her mind as they danced, it was clear that, deep down, Mona’s feelings and affections towards him were greater than that for anyone else. _Still_ —just because he did not have to worry about her feelings, that did not remove how this other man might feel. Or how he might try to take advantage of his mate.  
  
  
Ramona was petite; _at least_ half a foot shorter than the maestro, and her small body would prove fruitless against any unwanted advances. For the first time, Aro thought about how frail she was in comparison to other humans. To him, she had always been breakable; crystalline glass threatened to be shattered by a single, lazy touch if he proved careless. But he realized that she could break _just as easily_ under warm blooded hands as well.  
  
  
He now understood how young Edward Cullen felt all those times he had to protect his mate. Aro had simply attributed the vampire’s overzealous caution to how tragically clumsy and danger prone the younger Swan was. Mona’s grace and levelheaded seriousness had done well in shielding her from some of the scarier dangers of the world— _well, unless he counted himself, but that was hardly fair and he had no intention of harming her…at least not anymore.  
  
_ _  
_But now Mona could be in danger. Her grace and seriousness would do nothing against a predator determined to take her.  
  
  
Aro and Demetri watched the condo in stony silence, as unmoving as the piece of architecture itself. Seconds passed into minutes, and Aro felt a deeper sense of dread wash over him. Demetri must have sensed it too. He frowned at the condo.  
  
  
“It’s been minutes and he hasn’t left,” he commented unhelpfully. Aro clenched his teeth in frustration. “Why isn’t he leaving?”  
  
  
Aro was just about to verbally abuse his younger companion when he felt the mating bond signal a warning to his unbeating heart. **_Danger_** —she was in danger.  
  
  
Without a word, he jumped off the building and ran into the condo at blinding speed.  
  
  
He felt it. It was indescribable, but he felt a phantom pain on his own wrists. And then on his back,and his thigh, and on his face. _That is where he is hurting her_ —his mind screamed. Fury tickled at his spirit and the inner beast stormed in blood lust.  
  
  
It was just as he imagined, but his vision turned red as rage overwhelmed his consciousness. The vile human was perched on top of his helpless mate, her screams ear piercing despite being pressed into the couch. His hand was reaching under her dress, and he could see her legs shaking in fear, trying desperately to curl up and close together in revulsion.  
  
  
The monster paused its attack on Mona at his interruption, and Aro watched, gratified, as annoyance quickly morphed into terror. He realized that he never put his contacts in and the bright lights revealed Aro’s red eyes and overall inhuman nature. Monster looked at monster. Aro had never been more pleased with his horrible form. He wanted to remember the horror in his eyes when he ended his miserable existence.  
  
  
And **_then_** —  
  
  
And then something happened that Aro did _not_ expect.  
  
  
Something absolutely, undeniably **_glorious.  
  
_**  
A third monster entered the equation.  
  
  
He watched as the fragile little creature took her chance to fight back against her attacker. A slender hand reached out, grasped the only weapon available to her, and slashed the monster across the neck. His throat burned as the intoxicating release of blood floated into the air. The blood was pouring out like a river of lava, and Mona was staring right into it.  
  
  
Aro stood spellbound; he watched the carnage reflecting in her dark pools.  
  
  
He watched her tear her gaze away from what she had done to meet his own. There was fear in her eyes, shock at her own actions, reprehension of what she would find in his own— _like she was worried what he would now think about her_.  
  
  
 _It is_ ** _nothing_** , he willed her to know. _He was nothing. You did the right thing.  
  
_ _  
_Maybe it was the bond, but he was certain that the message got across. A look of relief washed across her delicate features.  
  
  
Aro saw her turn her attention back to her miserable victim— ** _her victim!_** _How the tables had turned!_ He felt a flush of pride swell inside of him.  
  
  
That pride turned to excitement when he saw the small smile that tugged at her lips.  
  
  
So small, anyone else would have missed it. But _he_ saw it; he felt it. And all of his previous beliefs about her came back—he knew she always had it in her. Small and fragile as she may be…  
  
  


He thought back to the night after her Swan Lake performance, when his dark nature was confirmed and he had taunted her in her apartment. She had thought to try to stab him that night. Alas, it wouldn’t have **_done_** anything, but still—  
  
  
Aro had known since that moment that she could fit into his lifestyle. This had only strengthened his convictions. She stared into the darkness, her _own_ this time, and didn’t flinch away.  
  
  
Although murder was so much easier when the victims were monsters themselves. Aro was unsure if this brutal savagery would translate as easily to the Volturi’s normal diet of easily conned tourists.  
  
  
In a final show of defiance, Mona shoved the man off of her and _right into his arms._ Into the arms of a very hungry, **ravenous** and murderous vampire. Aro looked into her eyes— _do you mean it? Are you truly ready to see this?  
  
_ _  
_She wanted it.  
  
  
Aro had never intended on exposing her to this until after she had been turned, at the point of no return. But she looked at him expectantly, and he wanted to chuckle at the irony; now she was watching him as the captive audience awaiting his performance. So he breached that final layer that separated her from his true form, and he let the beast out of its cage.  
  
  
The blood tasted so much damn sweeter than he could have imagined.  
  
  
Knowing that it was a parasite that threatened his mate…knowing that it was his mate’s first kill—that she **_fed to him_**.  
  
  
Against his usually carefully controlled actions, he felt himself get rather messy for once, the hot liquid dribbling down his chin and splattering his dress shirt. But it _felt so good_ , and it warmed him up, and he let himself completely go until he felt enjoyably full.  
  
  
Aro realized how monstrous he must have looked at that moment; his red eyes brighter than ever, his skin slightly flushed with stolen blood, his chest the very image of a crime scene. But Mona’s parted lips and heaving chest betrayed her. Aro felt another swell of satisfaction at her clear and unwavering acceptance of just who and _what_ he was.  
  
  
When her lips crashed into his it felt like atonement.  
  
  
The Hellfire that shadowed his existence dissipated with her love.  
  
  
The arms that wrapped desperately around his shoulders, the fingers that sank into his hair and danced along his neck, forgave him his sins.  
  
  
Kissing her so soon after he just fed and let his beast out was a dangerous game. It would be _too easy_ to accidentally sink his teeth into her lips or tongue, a taste of her own beautiful essence. But as her body pressed so eagerly against his own, and as he read her sinfully erotic desires, a very different hunger formed in his body and throbbed so urgently against his trousers.  
  
  
A hunger that she returned with equal vigor.   
  


Aro had not expected this out of Ramona when he had planned on crashing her club outing. _But_ , he supposed, this was _hardly_ the strangest thing that had happened all night.   
  
  


* * *

  
  
Sanity crumbled apart like a piece of paper but in that moment, Ramona stopped worrying about the consequences of her actions. She crashed into Aro like a tidal wave crashing desperately onto the shore, and he soaked her in like the sand. His arms around her were strong; he could crush her in a second, it wouldn’t take a single effort. He grabbed her small body and hoisted her up, settling her comfortably on his thigh, and claimed her mouth. She moaned into the kiss— _it was_ ** _hot._** For the first time that she kissed him, his mouth was just as hot and warm as her own. His tongue tasted like _copper_.  
  
  
If Ramona was in any sane state of mind, she probably wouldn’t have thought that was as **fucking hot** as she did in that moment.  
  
  
But Aro didn’t seem to be bothered. Instead he seemed turned on by her thoughts, pulling her more roughly against his body. He bit playfully at her lips, sucking in the intriguing taste of her sweet lip gloss, mixed with the bitterness of alcohol and the metallic residue from the back of his throat. She moaned into his mouth.  
  
  
“I—I need you,” she whined. Whatever embers settled in her belly from their dancing earlier were ignited once again, setting her ablaze. She felt her blood pooling to her groin in an aching, desperate need to be fucked. She rubbed up against him.  
  
  
“ **Fuck** , baby,” his voice was low and heavy with desire. His hands squeezed her ass. She felt her legs become weak at his touch. “Come here, _I got you_ —”  
  
  
She barely paid attention as he took her away from the room and carried her up the stairs into their bedroom. He dropped her unceremoniously onto the bed and crawled up on top of her, his hands on either side of her face, his throbbing erection pressed in between her thigh. Evidence of their crime left damning crimson streaks all over her skin as he rubbed up against her. She tingled at the sensation of raised chills all over her body; and then she surrendered herself to the creature of the night.  
  
  
“Mmm, I love this dress on you,” Aro whispered into her ear, his hands running along the skin tight fabric. She hummed in delight at his touch, his hands smoothing over her curves until he reached the hem along her thighs. “You look so _indecent,_ my love.”  
  
  
Ramona arched up against him submissively. “Take—t-take it off,” she gasped, the thin layer of clothing feeling unbearably heavy, separating her from his body. She wanted it off. She wanted everything off, so she could feel him. She stared at him closely with heavy lids. “Take this dress off. N-n-now,” she mewled, “ _Please_ —get me naked.”  
  
  
She liked the way that Aro’s eyes went dark when she said that, and she gasped as he ripped the dress off of her body. Her panties, drenched with slick, followed right after. She was completely exposed underneath him. An intoxicatingly blatant discrepancy against his fully clothed— _and considerably disheveled_ —body. His hand reached between her legs and he groaned at her heat. Ramona moaned at the touch, the sound high and tight. “A-Aro,” she writhed underneath him, her legs opening wider in invitation. He surged forward, sucking hungry kisses along her taut stomach before heading down in between her thighs.  
  
  
“I’m going to open you up with my tongue, Mona,” his voice was muffled against her skin. She tried to catch her breath, her eyelashes fluttering as she thought about how filthy his mouth was at the moment. He made another animalistic groan. “And then I’m going to fuck you,” she heard him begin to work open his belt with one hand. She squirmed in anticipation.  
  
  
Aro breathed a sigh as he looked appreciatively over her naked body.  
  
  
“I cannot wait to get inside of you.”  
  
  
Ramona watched with heavy lids as he unzipped his trousers and pulled his cock out, pressing it, hot and thick, against her folds. She closed her eyes and prepared for entry, bucking up and sliding her pussy along the length of his member. He stared at her through a smirk.  
  
  
“Mmm, that feels good though, doesn’t it?” Aro grinned, his cock twitching in response to how wet her slick was—it left a _glistening_ trail in its wake. She raised her hips in an attempt to sit herself on top of him and he chuckled, pushing her back against the mattress.   
  


“Not _yet_ ,” he hummed, and he ignored the twitch of his cock to lean down and envelop her clit with his mouth. Ramona cried in pleasure, lifting her hips to meet his face. His tongue came out like velvet to flutter gently over her clit, and he hummed low, the vibration leaving her floating and gasping for air. And then he did just as he promised— _thank the good Lord_ —and he sank his tongue into her wet, hungry cunt.  
  
  
The sounds that he drew out of her mouth were completely inhuman. His tongue slid in and out of her tight cunt, so tight from not being fucked for so long, and she thought she was nearly ready to combust. His tongue swirled gentle circles in her insides and she felt her feminine walls clench up in reckless abandon. ** _Fuck_** , Ramona thought through her hazy mind, _he’s gonna make me cum just with his mouth_ —  
  
  
His tongue left her body with an audible pop and she cried in response at the loss of sweet, _sweet_ contact. “Not yet,” he growled, and he leaned in to capture her lips once more. “When was the last time that you came, amore mio?”  
  
  
Ramona’s brain was malfunctioning from the almost orgasmic high that he took from her. She blinked. Her mouth agape. “Uhh…over a month ago,” she managed, trying to remember. She remembered Aro, a tie, and a pushed up skirt. “Y-you were there—”  
  
  
“Has it been that long?” he bit her lip playfully, “Oh, _how long_ _that has been_ , carina—”  
  
  
It **had** been a while since she came. Which was why she was desperate for him to continue on what he was just doing. He was caressing her inner thigh now, his fingers trailing deliciously close to her wet core. “W-what about you?” she asked.  
  
  
“Mmm, _no_ ,” Aro admitted, and he took her back as he sank two fingers deep inside her dripping heat. She arched into it, he curled his fingers, and she thought— _this is heaven_. “I thought about you many times, cara, as I sat in my study and had to pleasure myself. But my imagination and hand are pale substitutes for the real thing.”  
  
  
She glowed as he crooked his finger deeper inside her, finding her g-spot and hitting it over and over again, the promise of an orgasm building and building. Aro was still talking, but she could barely understand him…. **fuck** , he got so _mouthy_ when he was turned on.  
  
  
“Fuck, it definitely wasn’t a good enough substitute,” his baritone voice sent shivers through her entire body, “I’ve missed the feeling of sinking my cock into something so wet and warm for far too long.” The words tore her apart.  
  
  
She moaned wantonly. “Then do it already,” she pleaded, begging him with her mind to take those fucking fingers out and replace them with something much more enjoyable.   
  


With a final teasing curl of his fingers, he removed them as achingly and slowly as he could, rubbing along every ridge inside of her. She held her breath at the loss.  


Aro’s smile was smug and self-serving, as he stroked himself eagerly, watching her moan and beg naked underneath him. He nudged his cockhead against her now soaking wet pussy, enjoying how open and ready it was for him. A present laid out, ready to be unwrapped.  
  
  
He eased in slowly. “ ** _Fuck_** ,” he clenched his teeth, sounding broken for a moment. Ramona let out a soft moan and wiggled underneath him, trying to get him deeper inside her. After a deep breath, Aro thrusted himself until he was fully sheathed inside her. She gave a large gasp at the fullness.  
  
  
And then he started to move inside of her, his cock sliding back and forth until he found a comfortable rhythm. He fucked in deep, savouring her tight walls as he rocked inside her with slow strokes. Aro’s mouth found her own in that moment, and they shared soft, eager kisses as he lazily moved inside of her.  
  
  
"I love you," he murmured into her ear, before reclaiming her mouth again. His tongue was desperate and needy and she moaned into it. The reminder of his love and adoration sent chills tingling down her spine.   
  
  
Ramona could feel the pleasure building, but it wasn’t enough. She pulled away from his mouth and buried her face into his neck. She felt embarrassed about what she was going to ask him next. She willed him to read her mind.  
  
  
The sound Aro made was indescribable. He growled into her neck. “I want to hear you ask it.” The red bloom in her cheeks darkening.   
  


“Don’t make me beg—” she choked out. Aro hummed but didn’t make any changes, content to continue on until she asked him properly.  
  
  
“ ** _Please_** , then,” she whimpered, as he pressed into her again and again with every thrust. Ramona pushed her hips up, trying to force him to hit even deeper. He held her back by her hips knowingly, a smirk dancing on his face. She _needed more_. “Fuck me harder. You’re…you’re holding back—”  
  
  
She was then certain that her moans became loud enough to disturb the entire city.  
  
  
Aro responded by thrusting into her at a savage pace, pressed her hard into the mattress. “I won’t hold back then,” he growled, punctuating each word with a wild thrust. She matched his wildness with an obscene collection of noises as she screamed. “ _Good girl,_ Mona,” he purred, “Tell them how much you’re mine.”  
  
  
Ramona wasn’t sure who ‘them’ was, but whoever they were, if they could hear them, they would definitely know by now. Noises sang out of her mouth like an orchestra of pleasure. And he was stringing that orgasm out of her, desperate to hit that final crescendo.  
  
  
Aro hit her with a particularly hard thrust and she felt the walls of her pussy tense around him. He grunted in response and she came harder, tightening around his cock.  
  
  
“ **FUCK** , yes,” she sobbed, her body vibrating with waves of pleasure. He continued to pump into her with reckless abandon, not giving her a moment’s break.  
  
  
“Say that you’re mine,” Aro demanded, his voice strong and certain despite the wild pace he was putting in, never faltering. “Make it _never_ be called into question again.”  
  
  
Ramona knew that this would do nothing but satisfy his worst control impulses, but as he ripped through her body like a hurricane, she found herself wanting to submit to his demands.  
  
  
She wrapped his arms around his shoulders for support, lest she melt into a puddle onto the bed. The cotton of his shirt helped absorb her sweat and cool her off. “I’m yours,” she whispered, which seemed to be exactly what he wanted because he plunged into her at an even greater speed and deeper force.

  
"And that—and that you love me." Aro choked out, an edge to his voice that wasn't there before. She noticed that despite it sounding like a demand, it _felt_ like a question. The mask of domination slightly lifted off. An anguished need for reassurance.  
  
  
Ramona pressed into him more tightly and kissed his shoulder. "I love you."  
  
  
The confirmation seemed to encourage his star fired pace and he continued on and on until she felt herself begin to rise and peak a second time. At one particularly hard thrust she even had the wind knocked out of her. She thought she was going to explode. Ramona could feel the tell-tale sign of his cock beginning to throb inside of her. Aro grunted.  
  
  
“D-do you want me to pull out—?” he hissed through clenched teeth. She knew he was holding his orgasm back. She knew how he sounded when he came, and she knew it would be soon.  
  
  
“ _N-no_ ,” she managed, not giving a fuck of anything at the moment. She needed him. **All of him**. “I need all of you.”  
  
  
That was all the permission that Aro needed to allow himself to come with a feral snarl, spilling himself inside of her. Her own release followed shortly after, a second wave of pleasure amplified by the white hot heat she could already feel leaking out of her. Her pelvic muscles twitched and bucked up with each wave until it stilled, and she felt Aro collapse on top of her.  
  
  
They laid there, enjoying the feeling of Aro’s cock still sitting snugly inside of her. She felt him shift inside and could feel him start to soften. He pulled out slowly.  
  
  
Ramona felt herself begin to fade, basking in the afterglow of an orgasm. In the comfort of his arms, it was easy not to think about anything else that happened except how good she felt in that moment. She relaxed her tired body and closed her eyes. She felt his cold lips press against her forehead, and he murmured something sweet into her skin.  
  
  
His whispers must have been prayers. Ramona had no nightmares when she fell asleep.   
  
  


* * *

  
  
And now his murderous little sweetheart slept soundly curled up next to him, naked and wet with sweat and cum. Her head laid against his chest and her legs were tangled up with his own. She was slightly bruised along her hips from his tight grasp but he knew she’d forgive him.  
  
  
There was a streak of blood against her nipple, Aro noticed, so stark and crimson against her pale skin. The image was arousing; in fact, her entire image was arousing. Ramona was the most disheveled he had ever seen her, and they had been rather disheveled together on _multiple occasions.  
  
_ _  
_He cupped her breast in his hand and traced the streak with his thumb, entranced as it spread thinly across her skin. Aro lowered his head down to her breast and nudged his nose against it, enjoying how she sighed softly in her sleep. Emboldened, he leaned his mouth in and sucked gently on her areola. His tongue teased her nipple until it became erect, and she shifted, waking up with a small moan.  
  
  
“I was _sleeping_ ,” she complained softly, her body betraying her complaint as she arched into him. Aro flicked his tongue against her again, causing her to tremble underneath him. He wasn’t convinced of her disapproval.  
  
  
“And now you’re awake,” he said offhandedly, and he nudged his nose to the space in between her breasts and began to trail kisses to her stomach. “And I would say…what a **pleasant** way to wake up.”  
  
  
She hummed in assent. “You better not have woken me before nine.”  
  
  
“ _I would never_ do such a thing,” he chuckled, and then proceeded to kiss her bare skin lower and lower, on route to a _most enjoyable_ destination. Aro had every intention of having a repeat of the night before when he felt her hands tug on his hair, attempting to stop him. He paused his attentiveness and looked up at her.  
  
  
“What’s wrong?” he asked, deciding not to read her thoughts that would be so easy to access. Mona swallowed, and tried to lift his shoulders off of her; he acquiesced and laid beside her, trying to decipher her expression. It wasn’t angry…or sad. Nor did it look like she was trying to reject him. She just looked…lost.  
  
  
“What happened last night?” her eyes no longer held the dark danger that they did last night; they were just as he remembered that they always looked, warm and brown. He decided to read her mind to make sure that she had, indeed, remembered everything, and wasn’t experiencing some trauma induced black out or memory loss. Sure enough, despite the booze and chaos, Ramona remembered every single moment.  
  
  
He could feel the anxiety radiating off of her. Aro thought he’d try to dispel some of it by distracting her. “Mmm, I believe you came last night,” his voice held the lighthearted, charming exuberance he often used in front of others. He clicked his tongue. “ _Twice_ , in fact.”  
  
  
She blushed at that reminder. “I’m not talking about _that_.”  
  
  
Aro brushed back her hair and touched her cheek. “I know.” he said simply.  
  
  
At that moment, his mate transformed back into her old self, no longer the passionate and wild creature that he took pleasure in the night prior. Her eyes widened, and she curled up into his chest. It was silent for a few minutes. Aro didn’t say anything as he let her process everything that had happened. It was fascinating to watch her mind work around it.  
  
  
Mona lightly played with his chest hair. It didn’t seem a conscious decision, just something she did when she was thinking, and trying to calm herself down. She laid her head back down against his solid chest. “What now?” she wondered out loud.  
  
  
What now indeed _._

* * *

**I...  
**

**I mean...  
**

**Y'all knew I had to DO IT TO THEM. (STOP IT THERESA, STOP IT.)  
  
**

**LOL I don't even know. I hope you enjoyed this chapter....I hope you weren't in a public space while reading this chapter lmfao.  
  
**

**Next chapter up soon! Don't you all worry...this isn't the end of the conversation. Next chapter picks up pretty much RIGHT where it leaves off.**


	38. Making Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> IT TOOK SO LONG TO GET OUT I'M SORRY! 
> 
> Okay, not that long. It's been 8 days lol
> 
> Still, feels like forever. But things have gotten a bit busier for me lately. I got good news and I have a new job that I just started today. Because of that, I won't have as much free time on my hands to write, but I will definitely make sure to continue writing and I want to try to at least push out one chapter a week (AT LEAST). I'm sorry the chapters are a bit spaced out more. I know for a while I was doing 2-3 chapters a week, and now I've done 1 chapter per week for the last few weeks. 
> 
> I feel like this chapter is a little funky, and maybe I could have ended it halfway through and had the last part or so in a different chapter...idk. I couldn't figure out where to end it. Or what fit with what. Sorry no Aro POV. You'll get his POV in the next one, I'm sure. It's not always easy figuring out what POVs I want to do and what makes sense. I still hope you like it though.
> 
> Anyways, thank you all for your reviews and support! I love that SO MANY of you have stayed with this story for so long, it makes me feel amazing.

* * *

  
It didn’t take that long before Demetri realized that he in no way, shape, or form wanted to stand by the condo for much longer. He was grateful, he supposed, for the fact that they were so mouthy—he knew what was going to happen before it happened, thanks to Ramona and Aro’s _disgustingly salacious_ commentary. Hearing his friend be called “baby” and “indecent” was enough to know that Aro was going to have his way with her, and that she was happily allowing him back into her… _err,_ **_good graces.  
  
_** ** _  
_**_Ugh.  
  
_ _  
_He found his way back to Volterra, certain that Aro and Ramona would be ** _perfectly fine_** without him standing guard and that they would no longer be needing his services. The castle was quiet when he returned, although he was quickly bombarded by Felix, who happened to be the guard on duty tonight. Demetri tried to ignore the large vampire, who loomed over him in curiosity.  
  
  
“Hey, what happened?” he asked, trailing the tracker as he made his way through the castle. “Where’s Aro? And his mate? Did you really go to a nightclub to get her? Is she okay? Did they make up?” Questions were flung at him a million miles a second. _God_ —Felix truly **was** the coven gossip. Demetri rolled his eyes at his friend.  
  
  
“Oh, they _made up_ , alright,” he said, “I believe they are making up right as we speak.”  
  
  
Felix frowned for a moment, before his eyes lit up in understanding and he let out a huge, booming laugh. “HA! So you had to listen to them going at it, huh? Aro made his moves on her and got her back then.”  
  
  
Demetri shrugged. “I guess. _Something_ happened in there before they started screwing, that’s for sure. I don’t know what.” He paused and leaned back against the wall, thinking about what happened and how he never saw that other man leave the condo before he started hearing Aro and Ramona go at it. He assumed Aro killed the man, but how that lead to Ramona wanting to have sex with the vampire was beyond him. He shook his head. “They’re disgusting though.”  
  
  
This only caused Felix to laugh harder. “Hahahaa, that’s awesome. Good to know Master Aro’s still got it!” his thunderous laughter drew the attention of several nearby onlookers. One of them, unfortunately, being Master Caius, who was in the middle of talking with Alec when he heard Felix and Demetri making a commotion around the corner. Caius walked over, a look of mild interest and curiosity dawning his face.  
  
  
“Where is Aro?” he asked the tracker, ignoring the sniggering vampire beside him. “I assumed he would return to Volterra after whatever failed scheme he was going to attempt on his mate went awry.”  
  
  
 _Failed scheme my ass_ , Demetri thought to himself, realizing that the black haired king really did have a talent in getting his own way. The vampire was currently being sexually rewarded by his human mate in a most undeserved fashion. _He loved his new human friend, but she had too much of a weak spot when it came to his Master._  
  
  
“Aro is in Florence with Ramona,” he explained, ignoring Felix’s snickering. “Scheme didn’t go awry…he is currently being rewarded for his endeavors as we speak.”  
  
  
Caius blinked, processing what he meant, and then rolled his eyes. “Of course he is,” he snorted. “Always **_gets his way_** …what did he do to win back the human’s affections? Write her a sonnet?” Felix barked at that, leaning back against the wall to support himself so he didn’t collapse laughing.  
  
  
It was funny though, and Demetri chuckled a bit. “No idea. Last I saw of her, she left him at the nightclub with another man. Aro followed them into the condo, the man never came out, and then they started…. _ugh,_ " and he made a gesturing motion with his fingers. Felix let out another loud laugh.  
  
  
Caius shook his head. “ _Ah,_ the breeding commences,” he snarked, his comment as blunt and crude as he could possibly make. “Well, it’s likely he killed the human. We will have to clean up his mess.”  
  
  
Alec blinked. “Should…should we go now?” he asked the blond vampire, who then sputtered indignantly at the question. Demetri and Felix shared an amused look.  
  
  
“ _Absolutely_ ** _not_** _,_ ” the vampire king scowled, thinking about having to go in while the other king was in the middle of pleasuring himself with his human mate. It sounded absolutely awful. “We will wait until we get a message from Aro.”  
  
  
“At least she’s human, she can’t last _that_ long,” Felix suggested, before cackling at his own humor. Caius’ face twisted to an unhappy expression.  
  
  
“They are going to be _just awful_ when she is one of us.”  
  
  
In a little over an hour, Demetri finally received a text from Aro, telling him to come and bring other members of the coven to assist in cleaning up an _accident_. Deciding not to notify anyone else—Caius did not like the idea of lower guard members becoming aware of Aro’s debasement and lack of control—the four of them made their way to Florence. Upon opening the door to the condo, they were met with the sight of a discarded, drained corpse on the floor of the kitchen. A bloody knife laid next to it. Aro sat on a chair by the kitchen island, shirtless, his long dark hair tied up and off of his neck and away from the sweat on his neck.  
  
  
Demetri thought about it, that vampires don’t sweat, and scrunched his nose in discomfort as he realized it was Ramona’s sweat that he had on his body.  
  
  
The blond haired king seemed similarly repulsed. “Well brother, it looks like you enjoyed yourself. Where is your little pet? I am surprised you did not scare her off after you fed on your rival for her affection. Unless she wasn’t quite as eager and willing as Demetri made it seem,” Caius smirked, enjoying taking the opportunity to make a quick jab at his brother. “Is she upstairs hiding? Will she come down to grace us with her presence?”  
  
  
Aro raised an eyebrow and gave his own cocky grin. “She is upstairs, but she is sleeping, so be quiet,” he told them, his grin widening as he thought about Ramona. “I’m afraid I’ve exhausted her.”  
  
  
“Indeed,” Caius remarked, before turning his gaze to the dead body on the floor. He cocked his head in confusion and frowned, as if just noticing something for the first time. “And what happened here?” his voice no longer held the mocking quality it had to it before. He sounded curious, and Demetri looked at the body to try to figure out what about it grabbed his Master’s attention. _And then he noticed_ —  
  
  
“What—” Demetri gave the wound at the man’s throat a look of shock, and then he glanced at the knife on the floor. It was clear from the wound that it was not a simple matter of Aro feeding on the man; you could barely see the bite mark, in fact…it appeared as if his throat was slashed across.  
  
  
“Yoooooooo—” Felix put a hand to his mouth in shock, covering a huge shit-eating grin. “What the fuck—”  
  
  
“What _indeed_ ,” Caius murmured, his own devilish grin widening on his face, which now mirrored Aro’s own expression. The blond looked almost impressed. “Your mate—?”  
  
  
Demetri watched as Aro was so excited he practically jumped out of his skin. “She slashed,” making a motion with his hand across his neck for emphasis, “him across the the neck! It was _magnifico_."  
  
  
Caius picked up the knife in particular and examined it. “ ** _Did_** she now? Well, well…looks like she’s not as fragile as we all thought,” he sounded positively delighted at the news. Felix whistled at the thought, similarly impressed.  
  
  
Demetri raised his eyebrows; he sure didn’t see _this_ coming when he went back to the condo. He was pleased that his friend was okay, but surprised; for as long as he had known Ramona, she had been the very definition of poised and controlled. He couldn’t imagine what must have happened to cause her to react in such a savage way.  
  
  
“That’s not even all of it,” Aro’s red eyes were blazing in excitement as he began to spin the tale of what had happened. “She _pushed him_ into my arms. To **feed**.”  
  
  
“What a little _freak_!” Felix exclaimed, and the five men in the kitchen shared a proverbial high five for the sleeping human.  
  
  
Demetri wondered briefly what this meant to Ramona and Aro’s relationship, and if it meant she forgave him…in their last discussion, despite her questions wondering how the vampire king was, she had been adamant that she had no interest in seeing him for quite a while. But now she experienced her first kill, and she and Aro seemed to patch things up in the bedroom…he was eager to talk to her when she finally woke up. He was so curious to know what was going on in his friend’s head.  
  
  
Aro must have gotten over the original excitement because he snapped his fingers at the three guards, “Now get rid of this,” he ordered, gesturing to the dead body on the floor while putting an arm around Caius, as he regaled his brother once again with more details of what happened. Demetri, Felix, and Alec all shared a look and sighed, before setting off to take care of the matter of a certain Mr. Luca Falco.  
  
  


* * *

  
After Ramona was woken up by Aro’s insistent lips upon her breasts, she was left with a pit in her stomach as reality crashed down on her like a ton of bricks. Trying to process everything that happened the night before was like trying to process an unknown, difficult to crack cipher that was understood to no-one but its creator. But this time, not even the creator of this cipher understood it; Ramona was lost. Sometime between the nightclub and her romp in the sheets with Aro, she had done something that she had never thought that she would do in her entire life.  
  
  
She didn’t block it out; Ramona didn’t know much about psychology, but she knew repressed memories and black outs were a thing that could happen. Yet, there was no disassociation between her and what had happened; she remembered it clear as day. She wouldn’t even call what she had flashbacks; it wasn’t a flash of anything, it was a perfectly saved video played on a projector— _click, click, click.  
  
_  
She felt Aro’s hand on the small of her back, rubbing soothing circles onto her naked body. He had been so attentive, and was letting her just sit there and think about what happened without giving her his input. Which she appreciated, because she needed to sit and replayed what happened in her mind until it settled into reality.  
  
  
Ramona wondered, as she felt his hand on her bare skin, if he was watching her mind replay it over and over again as well.  
  
  
“I am,” Aro spoke up, interrupting the silence. She turned over to look at him—Aro was gazing at her softly. “But it doesn’t bother me.”  
  
  
Ramona touched his hand; it was back to being cold. But she didn’t mind the coolness, as it helped keep her grounded. “It doesn’t bother you…” she repeated, letting her words trail off. Aro raised her hand to his cool lips. She got goosebumps.  
  
  
“It doesn’t bother me. And it doesn’t bother you, either,” he stated slowly, but confidently, so sure in himself. “You don’t know how to feel about that, because you feel like it should.”  
  
  
She took a deep breath. _Stabilize, breathe, control yourself._ “Shouldn’t I?”  
  
  
“No.”  
  
  
The response was resolute and unwavering. Ramona should have expected as much from her vampire, whose moral compass had gone out the window long ago. Still, it felt better to hear someone else say that out loud— _no…you shouldn’t feel bad about it._

  
Because she wanted to….but she didn’t. The remorse that she thought she would feel when she woke up was barely even there. There was perhaps a small tingling in the back of her skull that felt a bit like damnation.  
  
  
But then she looked at Aro, at their interlocked fingers and tangled hair and limbs.  
  
  
At least they would have each other.  
  
  
All she knew was that she finally felt like she was free…free and allowed to love Aro.  
  


It was like they needed some moment of insanity to split open the truth of the world and reveal the senselessness of trying to prevent their love.  
  
  
“Nobody can ever know,” Ramona whispered, revealing herself open and vulnerable to Aro. She thought of her father finding out what had happened…the police chief, the moral stronghold in her life— _he’d hate you if he found out what you were.  
  
_  
“Your secret is mine,” he told her. She should have known. Aro did not look at her any differently than he had before.  
  
  
 ** _He saw her._**  
  
  
“You are mine. Nothing will ever change that.”  
  


She realized no truer words had been spoken. She was his and he was hers.   
  


Ramona shimmied up from her curled spot next to him to straddle Aro’s hips and look him straight in the eyes; red irises peered right back up at her, unhesitating. Not looking away. _Love comes in through the eyes,_ she had once been told.   
  


She positioned herself over him and eased down on his cock. She sucked in a breath, wincing slightly as she slowly worked down until she was fully seated. Aro purred in appreciation and tightened his grasp on her hips. Her hands found Aro’s chest and she leaned onto him for balance, and then she began to pull herself back up and down with a series of thrusts.  
  
  
This time they didn’t say anything; no mouthy comments, no obscenities, no swearing—just the heavy sound of them breathing deeply, quiet sounds of pleasure that intensified the experience. She worked her hips back and forth in fluid motions, riding him with slow, steady, deep strokes until both of them came apart at the seams.  
  
  
He hugged her close to his body. Ramona thought about the man whose arms she was in—where they started, how they began, the road that they took to come to where they were now. She didn’t know a lot about love, but she knew it wasn’t supposed to be this difficult.

 _  
But_ , she told herself, as she melted into his embrace, _the most difficult things are usually the most worth it in the end.  
  
_

* * *

  
Ramona knew there were still issues that they had to discuss, and that sexual chemistry and a shared understanding of tragedy did not fix everything. Neither did their love…despite it being so overwhelmingly momental for the time being. She loved him, that much was true and she never wanted to be apart from him. But Aro was still…Aro. Meaning things would never be easy. Complications followed their relationship like a plague.  
  


“You know that this doesn’t mean everything is all better now,” Ramona told him, needing to emphasize that last night’s carefree romp and this morning’s… _joyride_ , was not a sign of her forgiveness. Aro groaned loudly in protest.  
  
  
“That is hardly fair,” he tried to argue, and he began to try to fight against her disapproval by greeting her with an onslaught of kisses down her neck. She sighed— _he’s going to be far more persistent now.  
  
_

“You and I have a far different experience on what is fair, Aro,” she tutted, and swatted him away from continuing in his indulgence. He looked up and pouted at her, appearing childlike.  
  
  
“Do you mean to tell me that I only get one night and one morning of your company after suffering without you for an entire month?”  
  
  
Ramona rolled her eyes, “Oh yes, you **_poor thing_**. How you suffer so.”  
  
  
Aro flashed her a cheeky grin. “I suffered immensely. But come now, Mona. What is holding you back _now_?” he sounded positively petulant. Aro sighed loudly—far too loudly to be any sort of repentant. “ _Fine._ I apologize for your ballerina friend. It was a stupid, selfish thing for me to do and I regret the pain that my actions have caused you.”  
  
  
The way he apologized rather reminded her of how a bratty, unapologetic teenager repeated back to his mother what he thought she wanted to hear. It was not very satisfying and overall did not make her feel any better. _Still_ —she supposed it was something.  
  
  
“While I understand that was your twisted version of trying to please me, I need you to promise me that you’ll never try to do something like that on _my behalf_ ever again,” she glared at the vampire, feeling ridiculous she had to say it at all. “And that I, in no way, appreciated what you did, despite your intentions.”  
  
  
Aro yessed her, and then attempted to carry on with his original intentions towards her. She stopped him once again and he scowled. “Okay, **_fine._** Corin was a mistake. I already admitted that,” she could tell he was starting to become annoyed, and felt a thrill of satisfaction at that. “But you never let me explain, Corin was only a temporary solution to your…emotional distress. I thought I was being helpful.”  
  
  
Ramona frowned. “A solution to my emotional distress?”  
  
  
“You were so depressed after the baby…” Aro’s voice trailed off, and she felt an ache in her chest at the reminder. She let him caress her cheek with his thumb. “I thought it would help you feel better. Especially since I was bringing you somewhere new.”  
  
  
Ramona thought about it. It did make sense…when she looked at it through Aro’s point of view. He was using what he had at his disposal in an attempt to make her feel better, it was just another instance of him trying to help in the _worst_ way possible.  
  
  
Yet…she couldn’t begrudge him the fact that it **_did_** work. Before she knew what Corin was doing to her, she felt a bit better when the vampire was around and felt comforted. She was able to get back to working and relax a bit instead of constantly being on the edge of tears. Corin’s powers, as emotionally manipulative as they were, did get her through the first couple weeks of postpartum depression.  
  
  
“I should have told you about her powers, though,” Aro conceded, his voice becoming softer….less on edge. She could tell he wasn’t being snarky anymore, or just saying sorry for the sake of it. A sadness clung to his words. “I should have let you make the choice of whether or not you wanted to use her powers on your own. Or perhaps you should have been allowed the opportunity to grieve as natural…I may have robbed you of that and I apologize.”  
  
  
His words hit the deepest pit of her soul, as she realized those thoughts had already manifested themselves deep within her and she had been unable to speak them out loud. But Aro had been able to verbalize her worries so easily…she _had_ worried that she wasn’t sad enough after the death of her daughter. Should she have grieved for longer? Did she go back to work too soon? Was it because she was too work obsessed, too much of a perfectionist and had control issues…was she in the wrong? Was she a _bad mother_? Ramona had pushed down these concerns as she tried to focus on the present— _because the present was chaotic enough as it was without having to constantly grieve over her daughter_ —but **still** …  
  
  
“You are not a bad person or a bad mother,” Aro spoke gently, “What has happened has happened…we have both moved forward. It doesn’t mean that we are not sad, or grieving, but, _Mona…_ it’s okay to move on.”  
  
  
It was not often that Aro was right, nor that his words were anything other than carefully crafted charms designed to disarm her, but—they _did_ make her feel better. Ramona felt the honest, bittersweet emotions tied up in his words. She was reminded that— _at least in this matter_ —her pain was his pain, and vice versa.  
  
  
“And Sulpicia?” the final judgement, the horrible way he had treated the woman who came before her. How could he have let that happen to her? And what was preventing her from ending up in her shoes, or—better put—her tower? Was that what Aro wanted in the end? Was he just amusing her by allowing her this current freedom, only to snatch it away when he no longer could tolerate it?  
  
  
“She was a mistake,” Aro said casually, processing Ramona’s thoughts and worries as he touched her skin. He tilted her head up to look at him. “Everything concerning her was a mistake. She represents a time in my _very_ _long_ existence that brings me no joy nor pride to look back upon. She has moved on, and so have I. And I am moving on to a life that has no intention of repeating that arrangement again.”  
  
  
Ramona swallowed. “Then what kind of arrangement do you want?” she asked him, genuinely curious. They didn’t discuss the future often. She had a year—a little less than it now—left of mortality, and then—  
  
  
Well…they never got that far.  
  
  
She thought about the future that they might share together. Would she just stay in Volterra with him and his coven for the next thousand years, a queen by his side? Would they keep the Florence condo? Could she visit her family? And what would _her_ family even look like?  
  
  
Ramona searched Aro’s face, trying to get answers; he was staring off with a strange expression on his face, brows puckered and lips parted in deep thought. Not for the first time, she wished she had Aro’s powers and could read his mind.  
  
  
At that thought, he snapped out of his trance and glanced back at her, humor dancing in his eyes. He chuckled, and pressed her closer to his chest. “No you don’t, carina,” he told her, a small, knowing smile gracing his lips. “It is quite exhausting being me.”  
  
  
Ramona bit her lip to keep from laughing. “It is quite exhausting being with you, too,” she teased. Aro hummed but didn’t argue against that.  
  
  
“Our arrangement will be our own,” Aro finally said, soft but with certainty. Ramona thought about it, and about what he meant by that. A life of their own…of their own choosing. Whatever that was, in the end.  
  
  
“Deal.” She sealed their fate with a kiss.   
  


* * *

  
They decided to spend the weekend together at the condo, just the two of them; the added stress of dealing with the rest of the coven was something neither of them desired. They would return on Monday, after Ramona got back from work. And then—well, life would just go on like it had before.  
  
  
Their weekend continued much like the night before, although Ramona made certain that they went back to taking precautions if they were going to continue on with their nightly— _and morning_ … _and noon time_ … _and midday_ … _evening_ —romps.   
  


“Carlisle said that those might not even make a difference, Mona,” Aro argued that afternoon when she brought it up, after he attempted to engage in more extracurriculars. She glared at her lover and crossed her arms.  
  
  
“I see,” she pretended to think about it, “Then I suppose we will be unable to do anything….” Just like she thought— _for a vampire, he was_ ** _so predictably male_** —he began to sputter in protest. She smirked in triumph. “He was unable to say that it _didn’t_ make a difference either, meaning it could, and is better than nothing. Unless you’d rather choose nothing?”  
  
  
He did not choose ‘nothing’.  
  
  
Her trip with Aro to the local pharmacy was rather amusing; she never tired of watching her vampire interact with other people. At best, he was blatantly rude and ignored that they would say anything to him at all; at his worst, he was downright verbally abusive. However, if it was somewhat deserved she found that it could be humorous; his snarky remark at the older woman in front of them—who was torturing the cashier to the best of her ability—was something that Ramona would never forget. Although Aro hardly looked as intimidating as he could be when he held a bottle of Diet Coke (for her, of course) and a box of condoms in his hands. 

  
Not that they needed condoms for _everything_ they got upto.  
  


“Ahhh _yesss_ ,” he groaned, and she hummed as she bobbed achingly slowly up and down his length, enjoying how Aro always made such appreciative noises when she went down on him. It was Monday morning, and she had a few hours before she had to leave for work. And, well…Ramona wanted to show him how much she was going to miss him.  
  
  
And wanted to leave him **desperately** missing her.  
  
  
She swirled her tongue around his head, teasing him and licking up and down his cock, exploring every part of him. She hollowed her cheeks tightly and sucked hard, causing the man to hiss in delight. “ _Fu-fuck_ ,” he growled, and he finally clenched his fists in her hair and began to lift his hips, pushing his length down further her throat. She gagged a bit, but was determined to keep steady as his movements became faster and more frantic.  
  
  
He fucked her mouth for quite a bit, his thrusting becoming erratic and deeper, pushing so deep that she felt him on her chin. She struggled a bit, needing air and she began to make little noises of protest. Aro peered down at her, unable to look away. “Beautiful,” he murmured, his fingers brushing her hair out of her face so he could see all of her. She moaned appreciatively around his cock. “You are so beautiful, cara mia. And what pretty lips you have,” his thumb brushed around the outside of her mouth; she could feel her own saliva dripping down her chin, and she could feel herself getting wet under his gaze.  
  
  
“Mmm are you ready, carina?” he breathed, and she nodded. Their moans continued in tandem as he began to steadily fuck her mouth until he neared his release, and then he gave a final push and she felt him unload on her tongue and down her throat. Aro looked at her expectantly, and she watched in delight as his eyes got darker in lust as she swallowed. He pet her head, and struggled to regulate his breathing and calm himself down.  
  
  
Ramona squirmed underneath him. She _knew_ he could go longer, and continue if she wanted—he **_never_** seemed to get worn out. If she wanted, he could become rock hard again and take care of the wetness beginning to pool in her shorts.  
  
  
But she had work…and she wanted to leave him today with the memory of _him_ cumming from _her_ mouth. So she bit her lip and ignored her own aching desire, knowing that Aro would be able to smell that on her and that her unmet arousal would bother him. And that he’d be thinking about it all day long as he waited for him to come home from the studio.  
  
  
It was strange to go back to the studio that morning and pretend like she didn’t know anything, as well as pretend to act shocked when finding out that Luca had never showed up to work and had been declared missing since Saturday morning. 

  
The company issued a statement to the public regarding the missing maestro, and then scrambled to find a new maestro for the upcoming premiere. Signora Ionetti was determined to continue on schedule with the production. For all anybody knew, Luca could have decided to just run off, and she wasn’t going to let anything delay the Spring production.  
  


Aro took care of everything.  
  
  
Only a few questions were tossed her way, but she expertly deflected and feigned innocence. How should she have known what happened to Luca after the cab dropped him off? Claudia and Sara were distraught at his disappearance, but when Ramona thought back on how Luca had every intention of assaulting her, she couldn’t find it in her to feel guilty.  
  
  
When she asked Aro how he was able to sweep everything under the rug so masterly, he just gave her one of his secretive smiles. “We have a protocol for such circumstances, carina.”  
  


He said nothing else. It was clear that was one thing that Aro didn’t care to let her in on. Which was fine with her—the less she knew about their cleanup process, the better.  
  


Ramona declined her friends’ invitation to go out after work and get drinks. She knew they really just wanted to talk about Luca, and gossip about what could have happened after they left the nightclub. Which she had no desire to go through if she didn’t have to.  
  
  
Besides, she was exhausted—her weekend of continuously raunchy, rough sex with Aro left her body pleasurably sore—which became rather unpleasarable when she added the strain of hours of pointe and ballet exercise.   
  


Demetri came to escort her back to Volterra, and she felt a bit disappointed it wasn’t Aro. She was hoping to have left her lover eager and frustrated enough from the morning to have not been able to wait, and fuck her against a wall somewhere.  
  
  
 _Not eager enough, apparently_ —  
  
  
“Heyy…” Ramona greeted her friend awkwardly, realizing that she hadn’t seen Demetri since the nightclub. She couldn’t help but wonder how much he knew. “Long time, no see…”  
  
  
Demetri raised an eyebrow. “I saw you Friday. Was your weekend that busy that three days ago seems like a long time?”  
  
  
 _Yes and no_ , she thought. In some ways, that day feels lightyears away…in others...well, she was still humming with the after effects of what happened.  
  
  
“It was…quite a weekend,” she admitted, giving him side eye. Her friend snorted.  
  
  
“Indeed,” and then he threw her a knowing smirk, which she glared at.  
  
  
“What do you know?” her question was loaded, and she knew to expect about a thousand different answers. Demetri, however, was deciding to be frustratingly unforthcoming.  
  
  
“There has been talk,” he told her, causing her insides to squirm. She **_hated_** gossip. She sighed loudly.  
  
  
“Could you be more specific? Talk about _what_ , exactly? Stop being so tight lipped and tell me so I know what to expect when I walk through those doors.”  
  
  
Demetri, again, raised his brows in humor. “Exactly what you think it's about,” he drawled, before frowning, pretending to look more serious. “By the way, the next time you leave a mess for me to clean up, you could at least leave a tip.”  
  
  
Ramona’s stomach turned, as it dawned on her that Demetri ended up seeing and cleaning up her…accident. But she felt another rush of relief when she looked at Demetri and found now judgment in her friend’s gaze. Well, maybe a _little_ judgment, but more of the— _you’re a fucking hot mess of a slob and I can’t believe I had to clean up after your ass_ —and less of a— _you’re a murdering, damned she-Devil and your evil ass is going to Hell.  
  
_ _  
_She had no idea what to say to that though. “What do you tip vampires in?” she asked out loud. He snickered.  
  
  
“I don’t know, but when I find out you will be the first to know,” Demetri grinned. “You’ll owe me extra for the trauma you’ve assaulted on my ears with Aro.”  
  
  
Ramona flushed a deep red. “Well you did not have to listen—”  
  
  
“ _I didn’t stick around!”_ Demetri scowled, and she felt her lips curve in a slight grin. “I didn’t have to, you two make it fairly obvious before you engage in activities designed to gross me out.”  
  
  
The glaring content only lasted a few seconds before they both burst out laughing. And they cackled all the way back to the coven. When they finally returned to Volterra— _and God, it felt like forever since she was there_ —she pointedly ignored the human receptionist and leaned against her friend tiredly. The elevator sucked them down into the pits of the castle, and she shivered as the familiar coldness passed through her. She tugged her sweater closer to her chest, grasping for warmth.  
  
  
On their way to the quarters she shared with Aro, they walked by the throne room where she was instantly called for—Aro was in a heated debate with Caius, Marcus standing by quietly, when her presence distracted them. Their attention is immediately drawn to the blood pumping, heart thumping individual in a sea of vampires. Aro’s eyes brightened.  
  
  
“Mia dolce amore—” he grinned, sauntering from his seat on his throne towards her. She gave him a smile and let him bring her close to him, enjoying how his hand danced along the small of her back. “Welcome back home.”  
  
  
 _Home._ Ramona looked around the castle…it was dark, and it was cold, and it didn’t feel quite like home. Aro knew that too, but she wondered if it was his way of inserting her into the coven, and reminding the onlookers that she was one of them. At least, to Aro.  
  
  
Although, apparently that viewpoint had changed for the rest of the kings and coven as well.  
  
  
“Ah, the little slayer has arrived,” Caius announced, and she clenched her teeth, uncomfortable at the attention. She noticed a few of the guard looked at her in curiosity; she noticed Felix standing there as well, and he gave her a large grin and winked. Ramona looked away quickly. Caius scrunched his nose. “You stink.”  
  
  
The small ballerina glared at the blond vampire. She was well aware that she was sweaty, she had just finished nine hours of ballet rehearsals. “Thanks.”  
  
  
Aro chuckled. “Be kind, brother. She is a human. Humans _sweat_. Surely you have not forgotten.” Ramona scowled at the conversation; she did not feel like talking about her sweat.  
  
  
“No, I have not forgotten,” Caius raised an eyebrow, “Your sweaty mate is a constant reminder to me of the nuisances of humanity. Although, she has proven to surprise me quite a bit,” his red eyes gleamed, “I would not have thought you had it in you. Color me impressed.”  
  
  
Ramona huffed and looked to Aro, hoping he would say something. But she noticed that…he looked _proud_. Like he was showing her off. “Yeah, well…yeah,” she stumbled, unable to form any coherent thought. She didn’t know what to say. She looked to Aro for help.  
  
  
“Ramona looks tired, Caius,” Marcus commented, walking away from his throne to stand by his brothers. She breathed a sigh of relief—he always seemed to know when to save her. “Too tired to think about what has happened. Perhaps you should bring her upstairs, Aro.”  
  
  
Aro looked at her, “Is that correct, cara mia, are you tired?” Exhausted, she nodded, not caring how weak she looked in that moment. Apparently the guard thought she was some badass now, she could afford appearing soft in front of them. Aro latched his arm in hers and together they trekked up to their quarters. He closed the door behind him, and she squealed in delight as he— _quick as a devil_ —lifted her up and pushed her against the door. She wrapped her legs around him. He nosed her neck, breathing her scent in and growling.  
  
  
“You wanted to leave me eager and frustrated, hm?” he purred, and she bit her lip to keep herself from moaning. “Consider it accomplished.”  
  
  
Ramona grinned, “You will have to wait longer, I am gross remember? I need to shower.” At that, she began to giggle as she felt him chuckle underneath her as he playfully slapped her ass. He proceeded to tear her away from the door and carry her to the master bathroom, kicking open the door. “Then we will just have to clean you up—”  
  
  
The water turned on and washed away her worries—it was _good_ to be back. 

* * *

**  
So that's where this chapter ends, I guess. Kinda weird, like I said, but I'm moving a bit slower now because the end is getting closer and closer in sight. I can SMELL IT.**

**  
Hopefully you guys are cool with how this is so far. Like, how Ramona and Aro kinda reached a place where they aren't at each other's throats. That's not to say that everything is perfect and everything is going to be simpatico moving forward, but...well, I felt like I had them against each other for SO LONG now that I just wanted some good to happen again.  
  
  
Anyways, y'all were asking about Demetri, saying POOR THING WHAT DID HE HEAR. Well now you know, he didn't hear anything because he BOOKED it when he started hearing them. Bwahahhaa.   
  
  
Also, I'm sorry there's so much sex. Actually, I'm not, but I feel like I need to say that. There's gonna be a lot moving forward. We were without it for a MINUTE. I gotta get that M Rating credentials back baby.   
  
**


	39. Stubbornness and Possessiveness

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> ...I AM SO SORRY 
> 
> I feel like I'm saying that a lot lately, lmao. So I don't know what happened guys...actually, that's a lie, I know exactly what happened lol These last two weeks have been kinda crazy...I started a new job and I started going back to the gym (girl needs to get rid of the 15lbs. that quarantine gave her).
> 
> ANYWHO. UM...THIS CHAPTER. UM. Well. It's a thing.
> 
> I don't even know if this chapter is good lol Like, this is what you're getting after two weeks of nothing. I'm not sure...I'm not sure if you guys will like it, orr.....um. Well...it's something alright. At least...the mid part is. There is like...storyline and plot at the beginning and end of this chapter, and then the middle just dissolves into...something.
> 
> Anyways, I'm going to try to get my next chapter out sooner than two weeks. I really feel horrible making you guys wait for so long, especially because I was doing so well with pushing out chapters once or twice a week for a while. Thank you all for sticking with this story. Also thank you to all my lovely readers who have reached out to see if I was okay. That means the world to me and it's so nice and thoughtful, I appreciate you all. <3 <3

* * *

  
Since the sun crept up along the horizon and dawn began to break, the day started with a buzz of excitement that never seemed to fade. Mona woke up on her own without his assistance— _which she did not often do_ —and he could feel the nervous yet joyful energy radiating off her the moment she woke up. Even George, who usually slept snuggled in between them or, if he was feeling particularly brave, on Aro’s chest, could feel the dysregulated energy from his mother.  
  
  
It was the premiere of Mona’s new show, and the usually poised ballerina was acting particularly chaotic that morning. She packed and repacked her backpack at least three times, and fed George the wrong cat food before she left for her final rehearsal. Her kiss goodbye to him was bereft of its usual passion, as she was too focused on the upcoming show to give him much thought.  
  
  
And now the hour was ticking by as the start of the premiere came closer and closer. Aro was fiddling with his tie and straightening out his collar, trying to make himself look presentable. After missing out on Mona’s premiere night of Swan Lake, he was determined not to miss out on this one. He had even procured tickets for his brothers, Athendora, and Demetri. Said tracker was currently with him in the study, checking out his own reflection and fixing up his hair.  
  
  
Aro reflected fondly on the young tracker—he was thankful that the vampire had befriended his mate. She needed a friend in the guard besides himself. And Aro always thought of him, and a few other of his closest guards— _Alec and Jane, in particular_ — as his children, seeing that he didn’t have any of his own, nor did he ever think that he would.   
  


As he looked Demetri over and helped straighten his tie, Aro thought— _a son…a son might be nice.  
  
_  
It wasn’t often that the kings had an excuse to go out; while they had always appreciated the arts and sciences, in more recent years, they seldom left the castle unless they had to, leaving the guard to be the ones to go out. But since Mona had entered his life, Aro found himself submersed in the new world—a reinvigoration of his youth that he had never expected.  
  
  
And he found that he loved the new world; and he wanted to see _more of it_ , whenever possible.  
  
  
Aro knew Caius did not feel the same, as he did not look so eager to be going out. But Athendora did, at least—a bright, cheerful smile _so vastly unlike_ her husband’s miserable expression lit up her youthful face. It was nice to see the pale blonde excited, and that at least seemed to improve Caius’ mood a _tad_ bit. She twirled, showing off her lavender gown, and grinned at her husband. In moments like this, Aro felt guilty again at what he and his brother did to their wives—he would have to have a discussion with Caius about Athendora. Perhaps he could convince him to lower his precautions and protective measures. Precautions that were— _in truth_ —unnecessary; _and always_ ** _had_** _been.  
  
_  
Aro still kept his secrets. That one in _particular_ was one he never intended to share.  
  
  
Although…maybe Ramona would understand. One day.  
  
  
The humans below them were chatting animatedly about the ballet, but Aro tried his best to focus on his brothers instead, and drown out the incessant noise. The tempting heartbeats and flow of fresh blood was also distracting, but Aro found himself used to it. His brothers seemed to be doing okay— _thousands of years of practice reigning in the thirst_ —and Demetri was okay. He was slightly worried for Athendora, who was in general less exposed to people, but she seemed to be too distracted by her giddiness to be bothered. The pale blonde was asking her husband about a thousand questions, the forever eighteen year old female enchanted by the technology that she was seeing for the first time.  
  
  
“Is Ramona nervous about tonight?” Marcus inquired politely. Aro nodded.  
  
  
“Yes, but she will be fine,” Aro told him, skimming through the playbill absentmindedly. “I believe she is always anxious before the first night of a performance. But she is not even the lead this time, so it should be less stressful. She does have a solo, however, in the third act.”  
  
  
“You couldn’t have assisted her in getting the lead?” Caius asked, looking over from where he was sitting with Athendora, the small blond practically on his lap as she flipped excitedly through her own playbill. “You’ve been a patron before, it wouldn’t have been difficult. Just get rid of a _few minor things_ in her way—”  
  
  
Aro and Demetri shared a look from across the box. Aro shook his head. “Absolutely not,” he thought about what happened last time, and the mistake he made with that ballerina from New York. Caius didn’t know about it, but he didn’t need to know every detail of his and Mona’s relationship. “Mona would not like me to interfere with her work.”  
  
  
Soon enough, the lights began to dim in the old theatre and the ballet began, the colorful sets and bright costumes bringing the show alive. Aro had seen the ballet many times before; Coppelia had been around for a while, the comic, family style ballet a popular one that was often performed in between larger shows. It wasn’t one of his favorites, but he liked it well enough.  
  
  
The story went on as it usually did; a sweet, lighthearted story about an engaged couple, a doll come to life, and a love story about mistaken identity and a celebration of love. Aro saw Ramona several times throughout the ballet, dancing along with other ballerinas in the corps. It was like night and day from earlier; the anxiety and nerves from her face were gone, and she looked peaceful, relaxed, and _happy_ —she truly was her best self when she was out on a stage, and watching her do what she loved doing filled Aro with a rush of emotions that he wasn’t sure how to process.  
  
  
_This_ was the Ramona that he loved: the joy that sparkled in her eyes, the unwavering smile, her _warmth_ —the radiant sparks of humanity that he knew he would miss terribly when it was gone. He had a year left of this Ramona…and then he would lose this part of her. Not that there was anything to be done about it; he wanted… ** _needed_** to keep her for _eternity_ , and thus there was no other choice. But he wondered _what she would do with herself?  
  
_  
Could she continue dancing? Ramona was naturally blessed with grace and talent without the dark gift, and it would surely be supernaturally enhanced after she transformed. Would she still want to continue dancing? Part of what she loved about it was the challenge, and the call within her to _prove_ herself. Aro did not know if she would still be able to feel that way when she became a vampire.  
  
  
The third act finally arrived, the blessing of the bells tolled, the dawn variation came and went, and the bell tolled for the prayer variation. Ramona came out, a vision in a cream colored tutu, adorned with soft petals and golden trimmings. The solo only lasted a few minutes, but she was a wonder; she began on pointe, tip-toeing across the stage, her arms open wide and lovely, like a blossom opening up to the sun.   
  


“She dances beautifully,” Marcus whispered to Aro, watching the ballerina.  
  
  
Aro grinned smugly.   
  


The variation was a sequence of repetitive, graceful movements. Mona’s sequence showcased the beauty of the soul, her dancing a physical representation of a prayer and Aro couldn't help but think about how _ironic_ it was that she received that solo. But it made sense in a way; ballet was Mona’s church, and in this moment, she was exposing herself to judgement.  
  
  
The sequence ended and the crowd applauded. Aro stood up and joined them, and he looked over to see his brothers, Athendora— _who was practically jumping up and down_ —and Demetri applauding as well. Her eyes looked up as if to scan the giant theatre to find him. He knew that she wouldn’t be able to see him but channeled his love and pride as much as he could and hoped she would be able to feel it through their bond.  
  
  
He thought that she did; her smile widened and shined luminously across the theatre.  
  
  
The rest of the ballet continued on and the dark haired vampire found himself eagerly awaiting for it to end, so he could congratulate and embrace her. At last, Swanhilda and Franz married and the corps danced their final sequence in celebration, and the ballet ended. The vampires waited for the crowd to begin to disperse out of the theatre before moving, wanting to be as inconspicuous as possible. By the time they were down, Ramona was out of the dressing room and bounded excitedly into Aro’s arms. He held her tight and kissed the top of her hair. He could feel her heart racing against his chest and he closed his eyes in satisfaction.  
  


The ballerina sized up her admirers shyly. “I didn’t know everyone was coming,” he could tell she felt a bit intimidated by the unexpected group. Large brown eyes looked up at Aro. “I thought it would just be you.”  
  
  
He read her mind— _she wanted to be_ ** _alone_** _with him._ Aro’s beast purred in satisfaction. He wanted to be alone with her as well. Their mental flirting was unfortunately cut off by his brother and his childlike wife.  
  
  
“You were fantastic!” the blonde squealed, clapping her hands in enthusiasm. He watched Mona raise her eyebrows in confusion at the female vampire. _Ah, that’s right…they’d never been introduced.  
  
__  
_ “Mona, this is Athendora…or Dora, if you will. Caius’ wife,” he explained, and then he saw his mate’s entire demeanor and expression change. She was recalling what Sulpicia told her—about what was done to _both_ wives. A small flash of resentment towards him flew through her mind. Aro scowled at how easy it seemed for Ramona to immediately think negatively about him again.  
  
  
“It’s nice to meet you,” Mona greeted her, trying to form a small smile. Her eyes then shot towards Caius and narrowed. “I’m sorry that I’m only meeting you now. I must have missed the opportunity to see you around the castle.” she said, knowing full well that she would not have been able to see her “ _around the castle”.  
  
_  
Caius glared back at his human. Aro pinched her butt—a warning sign not to continue on this line of discussion. Dora, for her part, seemed unbothered. “That’s okay! I heard that you are so busy dancing, anyway. I wanted to meet you though since Caius told me that you were Aro’s true mate! Caius told me _all about you_ , I feel like I know you already! We will be fast friends.”  
  
  
Ramona blinked. “Yeah, sure…” she looked over to Caius in displeasure. “You two are certainly very different.” Dora beamed at that.  
  
  
“And you are **_just_** like Aro,” Caius interrupted, smirking at her darkly. “Doing whatever you have to in order to get what you want, hm?”  
  
  
The glaring contest continued until Demetri cleared his throat. She became softer at her friend’s attention. “I am glad that I got to see you dance, Ramona,” he said, and he felt his mate’s heart flutter just a little bit at the comment. Aro frowned internally. “Master Aro, was there anything more you needed from me tonight?”  
  
  
_Absolutely_ ** _not_** , Aro thought, tightening his grip possessively around the human. “No, I don’t believe that will be necessary,” he told him, and looked at the group. “Actually, we should be heading back to the condo. It’s getting late.”  
  
  
Ramona cocked her head up at him, “We aren’t going back to the castle?”  
  
  
Aro smiled, shook his head and cupped her chin. “No, carina, I thought we would celebrate your opening night on our own. _Privately_ ,” he kissed her lips. She flushed and shot him an annoyed, embarrassed glance.  
  
  
“ _Yes_ , well, we will leave you to it then—” Caius sneered, and after they gave Ramona a few more praises and congratulations, left the two to themselves.  
  
  
Pleased they were finally alone, Aro held Mona’s hand tightly in his own as they walked their way back to the condo. The night was cool, but not freezing, and stars littered the sky in a most brilliant way. He couldn’t read Mona’s thoughts anymore— _she had put on a pair of nice leather gloves he had bought for her_ —and she was quiet, and although Aro thought he had gotten pretty good at reading her expressions, he found he was mystified. She _looked_ to be at peace; her face was soft, lips parted, eyebrows relaxed—but there was something in her eyes that he couldn’t _quite_ put his finger on.   
  


He’d find out soon enough though. His ballerina couldn’t keep _anything_ from him.  
  
  
They finally reached the condo, and Aro closed the door behind them sharply. He turned around to face his mate, whose expression he finally _could_ read, and did **not** look pleased. He internally sighed, but remained steadfast in his confidence— _it wasn’t like he hadn’t dealt with this Ramona before.  
  
_

* * *

Ramona’s opening performance went better than she expected—she had been feeling like she was floating on a cloud throughout the entire ballet, and then ended with feeling like she was soaring even higher. She remained elated and lighthearted as she went into the dressing room, chatting with all the girls and gabbing excitedly about the performance. After waving a quick goodbye to Claudia and Sara—whose invitation to go out and party at a club later that night to celebrate she **_critically ignored_** —she left the dressing room to find Aro, who she knew was watching her that night.  
  
  
But apparently it wasn’t _just_ him—she was greeted by not only her exuberant boyfriend, but his brothers, Demetri, and an unfamiliar blonde woman as well. She was a bit annoyed; she didn’t really want an audience, and Aro did not tell her ahead of time that anybody else would be watching her. But she supposed that was for the best—if she _knew_ they were watching, she would have been even more stressed that morning than she was, and who knows if it would have gone as smoothly.  
  
  
The blonde female vampire turned out to be Caius’ wife, and that revelation caused her stomach to turn sour as she recalled once again what Sulpicia had told her about herself and Athendora. His wife seemed friendly— _too friendly, almost_ —and she wondered if her mind was… ** _off_** from being isolated in a tower for so long. But—Sulpicia seemed okay, when she met with her, so _maybe_ Athendora would be okay too…if she could help her. She’d have to try to convince Aro to do something. She had a feeling he had more pull and power over his brother’s actions than he gave himself credit for.  
  
  
“And you are **_just_** like Aro…doing whatever you have to in order to get what you want, hm?” Caius had said to her, after she insinuated her disapproval at his wife’s situation. She glared angrily; she _hated_ when he referred to what she had done to Luca. Whenever she passed him in the castle, or chanced by him, he never failed to mention it. She didn’t know if he was doing it because he was genuinely impressed, or if he knew she was uncomfortable and enjoyed her discomfort. Either way, Ramona could barely _stand_ Aro’s brother.  
  
  
Demetri gave her a compliment, which she appreciated and warmed her up from her cold staring contest with Caius. Demetri looked handsome tonight, she realized, noticing how nice he looked in his suit. While she never thought of him that way before, Ramona had to admit…her friend was good looking. She blushed a bit at the attention he was giving her. “Master Aro, was there anything more you needed from me tonight?” he asked Aro. To her surprise, she felt her vampire tighten his grip on her waist. She frowned.  
  
  
“No, I don’t believe that will be necessary,” Aro said quickly, his voice tighter than usual. “ _Actually,_ we should be heading back to the condo. It’s getting late.”  
  


_The condo?_ They had been staying at the castle and they previously had a discussion about how it was easier for them to stay in one space instead of moving back and forth. She wondered why the change. “We aren’t going back to the castle?”  
  
  
She felt him cup her chin, the gesture, although appearingly sweet, held a bit of possessiveness in it. “No, carina, I thought we would celebrate your opening night on our own. _Privately.”_ And then he kissed her, silencing any room for disagreement. She felt eyes on her and Aro and she felt herself heat up in embarrassment at the PDA. _He_ ** _knew_** exactly what he was doing.  
  
  
Despite how beautiful the night was and the walk back to the condo was, she felt herself bristling in irritation. With the reminder of Athendora’s predicament, and with Aro’s behavior of embarrassing her in front of everybody at the opera house, she found herself annoyed with him _once again_ …not that it was a particularly hard thing to do. The continual spiral of love, hate, backing off, moving forward…she supposed things were going too well recently.  
  
  
They reached the condo and she was pleasantly surprised to find the condo warm, and she realized that Aro must have gone ahead of time and turned the heat back on. She shrugged off her jacket as she heard the door close behind her, and Mona turned around to glare at the man. Aro didn’t look bothered, however; if anything, it seemed like he somewhat _enjoyed_ her attitude…which made her bristle more.  
  
  
He was the first to say something, as _usual._ “Is something the matter?” he asked innocently, his arm reaching out to wrap around her waist. “I thought that the performance went well. _Eri cosí bella, carina._ ” The fair words rolled off his tongue so easily, like honey. She gave him a look.  
  
  
“The performance went _fine_. It’s _your_ performance I’m more annoyed with,” she scrunched her nose. “Stop inferring to our sex lives in front of others. Especially in front of _Caius_ , the **asshole** —”  
  
  
Aro whistled in amusement, “My, what a **dirty** tongue you have tonight,” he commented airly, and then his eyes darkened. He gripped her chin. “ _Good._ I rather enjoy your filthy mouth. _In fact_ , it’s given me some ideas…” He pressed her closer, rubbing his hardening erection against her thigh. She swallowed.  
  
  
“You’re acting rather possessive tonight,” she gathered, noticing the way he continued grasping in a vice grip. If he used any more of his strength, he’d break her. “I think seeing Caius and his child-like trophy wife made you forget that you aren’t that same dominating sadist that you once were.”  
  
  
Aro’s red eyes lit aflame in excitement, “Mmm, the good old days,” he chuckled, and she flushed. “I cannot help it, cara. It reminded me of the last time I watched you perform…you remember that, yes?”  
  
  
_She remembered_ ; it was the night that Aro confirmed that he was a vampire to her, how he held her against the kitchen island—much like right at this moment—whispering in her ear, touching her breasts…she moaned slightly, feeling Aro’s hands beginning to unzip her pants and shrug them down her hips. “I remember,” she bit her lip and looked up at him. Her eyelashes fluttered. “You were rather mean that night.”  
  
  
He pretended to look hurt. “I’m never _mean_ ,” he argued, and his fingers slowly inched towards her panties. “But it seems like I needed to remind you tonight _just who_ is your mate.” His fingers finally dug under the hem. She shifted.  
  


“I don’t know what you mean,” she said breathlessly, trying to focus. Aro tutted.  
  
  
“I can read **_every thought_** , carina, remember? You thought my guard was handsome, hm?” he tsked, and she blushed in realization. He slid his finger towards her slit. “Is it him that you wish was touching you right now?”  
  
  
Ramona giggled a bit. She couldn’t help it, _it was funny_ — ** _so jealous_** , she thought. He jammed his digit in her in response and she gasped at the feeling. “N-no,” she breathed, “you _know that._ It’s just you.”  
  
  
“I don’t share well,” he told her, and then began to push his finger in back and forth. She was already wet and open and willing. He stopped, and she whined at the loss of friction. “You want me to continue, carina?”  
  
  
She nodded, unable to say anything, bucking up against his open palm. He chuckled.  
  
  
“Then you will have to ask prettily,” he told her, his thumb brushing against her clit. She gave a soft whine. “Say, please. Please, _daddy_ , fuck me.”  
  
  
Ramona’s eyes widened and she flushed underneath him. “Wh-what—”  
  
  
“Go on, be a good girl,” he insisted, “I want to hear you say it.” She wiggled and tried to get him to continue but he waited patiently. She frowned and flipped him the finger. He raised a brow.  
  
  
“Yes, yes, we _both_ know where that finger’s been,” he responded, and she blushed even harder, if it were possible. Finally, she let out a frustrated noise and relented.  
  
  
“ ** _Please_** —” she asked, and she felt herself feel flush and dizzy and slightly embarrassed as she continued. “Please, _daddy_ ,” she bit her lip in embarrassment, “fuck me—”  
  
  
A sound of pleasure rippled in the back of Aro’s throat. “Happily, baby,” he growled.  
  
  
He hoisted her up in his arms, she wrapped her legs around him, and he brought her up once again to their shared bedroom. She wondered why he always brought her up there when they could _easily_ fuck somewhere else. Aro chuckled. “I like having you in my bed,” he told her simply. He quickly opened the door and she giggled as he dropped her unceremoniously onto the bed, before climbing on top of her. He reached around her, towards the top of the bed with the pillows and grabbed a long stemmed red rose. She smiled as he bopped it on her nose.  
  
  
“Per mia fantastic e bellissima ballerina,” he murmured, and he brought her lips in for a deep kiss. She ran her tongue on his bottom lip and he purred in approval; she arched into him, feeling his hard body pressed desperately against her own, his cock throbbing in his pants. As the kiss became more frantic, they began to rip each other’s clothes off—her naked heat against his naked ice, it felt _shocking, explosive…_ and addicting.  
  
  
“Now Mona, I’m going to need you to do something for me,” Aro hummed, looking down at her with a smirk on his face. She frowned, trying to pay attention, ignoring the throbbing of her clit. “I’m going to fuck your little cunt. All the way in,” he explained, and she moaned, feeling herself get wetter. “But I’m going to count down from ten as I do so. I will go deeper and deeper with each number, but to do so, I need you to say something dirty. And get progressively more dirty the further in I go.”  
  
  
He was currently teasing her by running his cock up and down the length of her pussy, and she nodded, knowing that he would stop if she didn’t. And **_fuck_** —she didn’t want him to stop. Aro shifted and slowly pressed into her, just at the head. The baritone voice was strong and low with arousal.  
  
  
“ _Ten”_ he announced, and looked at her expectantly. Ramona turned red when she realized he was waiting for her to say something. Desperate for him to continue, she swallowed and told him— “I want you inside me,” she whispered, and he pressed in a little deeper.  
  
  
“ _Nine”_ — “I-I want you to fuck me—”  
  
  
He seemed to be enjoying this a bit too much. His voice held an edge of humor.  
  
  
“ _Eight”_ — she hesitated, not knowing what to say next. Aro waited patiently for her to continue, not moving an inch. She whined. “Ah-ah- _fuck_ , um…I want you-so, _um,_ ** _deep_** inside of me—”  
  
  
“ _Seven”_ — he rewarded her, and she mewled at the heaviness. “Hit-hitting the very _back_ of my pussy.”  
  
_  
_ _“S-Six,”_ he stuttered a bit as he sank in deeper to her cradling warmth. “K-issing it _over and over again_ —”  
  
_  
_ _“Mmm,_ ** _damn_** — _five,”_ he hummed in pleasure. She began to feel more confident and excited about this new game that they played. “ _Stroking_ and _pounding_ yourself into me—”  
  
_  
_ _“Ah f_ — _fuck, four_ ,” the pressure was building, “T-til I—til I come—”  
  
_  
_ _“_ ** _Three_** ,” it came out as a growl. He was getting deeper. “C-come on _daddy’s_ cock—”  
  
  
_“Ah, ah_ — _t-two”_ he seemed to like that one quite a lot, and she flushed with pride knowing _exactly_ what to say to turn him on. Kinky man. “Ti—tightening all around you until I get you to cum too.”  
  
_  
_ _“_ ** _One_** —” the final command, dark and heavy with lust. She was almost full and she knew it would just be one more tiny push. “And fi—filling me up—”  
  


At that he sinked in as deep as he could, groaning lowly as his cock slowly hitting her cervix with secret kisses over and over again. He was smoothing his hands all over her chest, her belly, her hips…his cool, strong palms squeezing her breasts and pinching her nipples. They moved down her body until he was rubbing her clit in circular motions. She moaned.  
  
  
“Mmm, do you like that?” he asked, and all she could do was nod in assent. His fingers moved expertly against her, thousands of years of practice and knowledge making her crumble underneath him.  
  
  
He started moving faster, his hips meeting her ass with rhythmic slaps, chasing that feeling that was starting to build, build, _build,_ setting her on fire from the inside. The euphoric rush of hormones seeping through them, dopamine surging forward in a most addicting way. She felt wet and warm and _oh so fucking good_ —  
  


Her own orgasm was peaking, and she could feel her walls begin to tighten around him. Ramona looked up at him. “I love you—” she choked out, and wrapped her arms around his neck for support. She held on to him tight. “I-I’m about to cum.”  
  
  
“Go-good girl,” he answered through gritted teeth, “I’m about to cum as well. Go on, ju-just like you said, cum for daddy—”

  
At that she felt that familiar, toe curling, spine straightening, mouth gaping feeling—wave after wave of pleasure tightening her entire body, from the tips of her fingers down to her toes. Aro followed immediately after, coming with a feral snarl and releasing deep inside her. They both laid there a few moments, trying to catch their breaths. She ran her fingers gently through his hair, savouring the fact that he still hadn’t pulled out. In moments like this, it almost felt like they had become one person.  
  
  
“I love you too,” he said into her hair. He nuzzled into her neck and gave it a kiss. “You did **_so good_** _, carina.”_ he sighed, closing his eyes and relaxing against her. “Let’s…let’s play like this more often, yes?”  
  
_  
_ Ramona nodded and succumbed into his embrace. This was her life now, and _fuck,_ if she didn't love every second of it.   
  
  
And she wanted it forever. 

* * *

  
  
It happened on a Tuesday. 

  
On a Tuesday morning to be exact, way, _way_ too early in the morning to be considered normal. Aro was used to having to wake Mona up for work, and generally no earlier than 8AM, lest he hear her complain. But Mona bolted out of bed like a racehorse at 430AM, scrambling awkwardly to the bathroom. He scrunched his sensitive nose in disgust as he heard her begin to vomit into the toilet bowl. But he heaved a sigh, and joined her, crouching beside her and brushing her hair away from her face so she didn’t get any puke in it. She mumbled a thank you.  
  
  
“You’re sick,” Aro commented obviously, causing her to glare at him. He ignored it and felt her forehead with his hand. It felt like **fire.** “And you’re burning up.”  
  
  
“It’s probably food poisoning,” she offered an excuse. She squeezed her eyes shut tightly; the bathroom light was beginning to give her a headache. “The Indian food from dinner last night was probably bad. The chicken was undercooked.”  
  
  
Aro highly doubted the expensive dinner he bought her last night was cooked improperly. He looked into her mind; she highly doubted it too.  
  
  
He chose his next words carefully. “Perhaps…you should call out sick, carina. Take the day off and rest,” he could already see her begin to protest. “It is just rehearsals and you’ve worked so hard lately. Perhaps you have worked yourself sick—” he lied, knowing that would appease her.  
  
  
Mona took a deep breath. “No. I—I’ll be fine,” she said out loud, trying to convince them both. “I’ll just go back to bed. I’ll feel better when I wake up.”  
  
  
His stubborn mate then went back to bed, ignoring the nausea and the unpleasant rumbling in her stomach that signified that something was not right. And ignoring the sirens going off in the back of her mind that this was _not_ food poisoning.  
  
  
Aro’s stomach—for his part—felt like it was performing backflips as well. The vampire felt jittery as he laid next to her sleeping form. He was unable to relax and ended up leaving their warm bed to pace about the castle. A thousand different thoughts were running through his mind, resulting in about a thousand different emotions— _anxiety, worry, excitement, fear, nervousness, joy, love…  
  
__  
_ He ran about ten laps around the castle as he tried to get all of his thoughts in order and feelings in check. When Mona finally awoke a second time—equally as nauseous as before—she remained steadfast in her determination to go to work. So Aro relented, but walked with her to the studio, holding her hand tightly as they walked, and trying to concentrate on whatever it was that Mona was gabbing about on their way. He tried to control the tremor in his hand, and ignored the pounding of her heart…and the unsaid thoughts that Mona was unable to control but trying to **_desperately_** to hide. _So desperately, damningly_ determined not to discuss.  
  
  
Mona let go of his hand to walk inside the studio, and he pushed down every urge that swelled up inside of him to follow her in and make sure she was okay.  
  
  
But he was unable to leave.  
  
  
So he perched himself high up on the building across the street, finding an angle where he could remain hidden but still see inside the studio through the large, clear windows. He didn’t get full access to her, but she crossed the window a few times during practice, and just seeing short glimpses of her made him feel significantly less on edge. She was inside, and she was safe. Nothing would harm her there.  
  
  
After a few minutes, Aro took out his cellphone and began to dial the only person on the planet who would be able to help him. The phone rang a few times, before the familiar American candor of his best friend answered the call.  
  
  
“Aro?”  
  
  
“Carlisle…” Aro felt his confidence waver, his charm dropping as the situation dawned on him so heavily. He took a deep breath. “It’s Ramona…”  
  


* * *

Ramona wasn’t sure how she made it through rehearsals that day. The entire time she held down the urge to vomit and she knew she was stumbling through the set. But she was determined to ignore it and push through the pain and discomfort.  
  
  
Well. She was trying and _failing_ , apparently.  
  
  
“Do you need to head home early?” the director asked her, noticing how much she was struggling. She was at the barre, taking a bit of a break and using the barre for support, which was outside of her normal routine. Signora Ionetti looked her up and down. “You don’t look good.”  
  
  
As Ramona shifted to pointe, she felt her ankles screaming at her in pain. Reluctantly, she lowered herself. “No…nothing’s wrong,” she told the director, trying to convince her— _and herself_ —that the words were true. “I’m just…tired. I’ll be fine.”  
  
  
The director didn’t look convinced. “Go home,” she told the ballerina, frowning. “Rest up. Come in on Thursday before the show. You should feel better by then.”  
  
  
_Two days staying home with Aro…_ it was normally an opportunity she’d be elated over. But—it meant two days of him seeing how shitty she felt. Two days of avoiding questions and ignoring pain, and **_hoping_** it would go away but knowing— ** _deep down_** —that it wouldn’t. Her stomach was flipping. Ramona took a deep breath and nodded, and tried to settle her stomach. _As if deep breaths could solve everything.  
  
__  
_ She sent Aro a quick text letting him know that she was leaving early, and then left the studio and headed down the street to a nearby cafe. To her surprise, Aro found her right away— _he must have been closer than I thought._ It slightly bothered her but she didn’t say anything, and neither did Aro. It was starting to become chilly, and she realized she forgot a jacket, as scatterbrained as she was that morning. Aro seemed prepared though and draped his own over her small shoulders. She murmured a quiet thanks and clutched it closer, breathing in his masculine scent. She couldn’t quite explain it, but it smelled better than usual.  
  
  
Ramona frowned unhappily at that thought— _that can’t be good.  
  
__  
_ At the cafe, she ordered a black coffee with an extra shot of espresso. Aro looked at her disapprovingly. Feeling stubborn, Ramona choked back the caffeine as quickly and definitely as she could.  
  
  
On their way back, Aro finally spoke up. “So, you _did_ need to leave work early,” he commented lightly, as if he was not trying to suggest anything. Or that he wasn’t gloating about the fact that he gave her that same suggestion earlier. Ramona scowled.  
  
  
“ Yep…must still be the food poisoning.”  
  
  
Aro snorted in response. “Indeed.”  
  
  
Their walk back to the castle was silent, to which Ramona was grateful—she wasn’t ready to talk to Aro quite yet. And she knew it would likely only end in an argument. And it had been _nice_ not arguing with him lately.  
  
  
Aro seemed to be thinking the same thing, because he didn’t bring up her sickness for the rest of the day. Even when she vomited, he remained suspiciously mum. But he offered to rub her sore feet and legs, rolling out her aching joints and she tried to ignore the reasoning behind his increased attentiveness and enjoy it.  
  
  
It wasn’t until the next morning, her head stuck back inside the toilet bowl and retching the previous night’s dinner back out, that Aro finally dropped the bomb.  
  
  
“Carlisle should be coming by today, cara mia,” he glanced at his phone. “I believe his flight arrives in an hour.”  
  
  
She felt immediately put on edge. “Why is Carlisle coming here?”  
  
  
Aro gave her a _look._ “Because you’re **sick.** So you should see a **doctor**.”  
  
  
Her jaw twitched in annoyance. “I’m fine. And if I was that sick, I could just go to the emergency room or something,” she argued, knowing deep down it was useless but still trying anyway. Aro paused and crouched down next to her. Slowly and carefully, he grabbed her chin and turned it up to look up at him. His thumb caressed her flushed cheek.  
  
  
“I think we will need Carlisle for this.”  
  
  
Her teeth set, her heart plummeted to her stomach and she felt chills crawl up and down her spine—the reality of the moment, and of what was _really_ happening—settled over her like a dark cloud. There was no running from it, no hiding, and they couldn’t ignore it any longer. Pretending it wasn’t happening didn’t stop the tell-tale warning signs from rearing their ugly heads either.  
  
  
Resignation draped over like a shadow, and she tilted her head forward and rested it against his stone chest. Strong arms encased her and pulled her closer. She closed her eyes. “Fine. But we’ll take the test before he gets here.”

* * *

**Italian Translations: (Feel like I haven't done this for a while!!! Gotta get Italian speaking Aro back lol)  
**

_Eri cosí bella, carina. - **You were beautiful, darling.  
  
** _

“Per mia fantastic e bellissima ballerina,” - **"For my amazing and beautiful ballerina,"  
  
**

* * *

**Umm....soo...is THIS what you waited 2 weeks for?!?!  
**

**Lmfao. Well. So this is a thing now. And this is happening, soo.....cheers!  
  
**  
**Feel free to scream at me in the comment section for making you wait 2 weeks for this lol I deserve it.**


	40. Answers and Acceptance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey Everyone.
> 
> First - I want to sincerely apologize to all of you for this huge break of time between this chapter and the last. It was never my intention and I planned on having this chapter out way sooner but I never finished it and even now, I'm not really liking how it is finished. I feel like I'm just throwing something out there to give to you guys because I'm not sure when my next update will be.
> 
> I love this story. This story makes me so happy, and all of you readers make me happier beyond what you can even IMAGINE. You guys and this story made me get through 2020, I know it. You made this year bearable.
> 
> My year started off really rough. I found out something about my boyfriend - now EX boyfriend - in January, and things just got progressively worse and worse. But we were together for almost 6 years...so I held it together as much as I could. We both did. But it wasn't right, it never became right, and it wasn't right for a very long time, even BEFORE January. Our relationship hadn't been right since 2018, if I'm being honest with myself. And I had been out of love with him for a very long time. Part of it is because we are just too different people and don't match, and another part is that my heart always belonged to someone else. And still does, in many ways.
> 
> I wrote this story...I don't know. Maybe as a bit of selfish self-insertion, but now I don't even think I made it self-insertion to be with the character Aro, but to be with someone else. The "real Aro"...as it were. Whose words and actions I have copied, verbatim sometimes, into this story. Someone who has been a part of my life for 13 years, and I have tried to get over...again, and again. But I can't. Like a drug, I keep going back to this person because they fill a part of my heart and soul that I will never be able to lose. Like a parasite.
> 
> In August I reached out to him, just to see if he was still living and breathing, and alive - because not knowing if he was continued to hurt my soul inside. I needed to know he was alive under the same stars as me, breathing the same air, even if he lived thousands of miles away in another country. He was alive, and he was breathing, and we started talking again. The night we started talking again, we talked on the phone for 9 hours. He stayed up til 6AM talking with me, and had to work in 2 hours. (I reread this and I know how confusing this must all sound. He used to live here and then moved to the UK about 11 years ago. He also doesn't have social media so I had to email him.)
> 
> I don't know why I'm posting this here. What I'm looking to get out of it, or if anyone will even care. This person, he doesn't love me, not in the way that I love him, and I know this. And I whisper myself that reminder as a mantra, over and over again, so as if to protect my heart. My heart isn't protected from him, it never can be. I leave it exposed to him and he observes it and prods at it like a surgeon. He has warned me against him. Called me delusional that I think I can continue to talk with him without falling, and that we can just be friends. He is right, of course. But I refuse to let him go. Because letting him go again...
> 
> I can't even finish that sentence without becoming upset. Anyway, to get back at everything. I ended up breaking up with my boyfriend of 6 years, who was horrible to me in so many ways. The break up was hard because even though we weren't right for each other, and he had hurt me, he was also a friend. Saying goodbye hurt. He also found out about me and "real Aro" talking and...doing more, with one another. He said "if we were to get back together, I'd need you not to talk to him again". And for now...that's an impossibility. 
> 
> And now....well, I'm trying to put myself out there. To meet guys, to see if I can make a connection...because I need to try my hardest to get over..."real Aro". I need to figure out if I can love someone as much, or ALMOST as much, as I love him. I need to at least try. And I've met a few really nice, decent people...and I think maybe it might be possible. Maybe.
> 
> Because I fear that "real Aro" can only exist as mine...as TRULY mine...in this story.

* * *

The saying goes that insanity is doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.  
  
  
As it were—by the fourth pregnancy test, Ramona was beginning to feel a little insane.  
  
  
Shaking the test did not make the hateful two pink lines go away. If anything, they seemed to mock her annoyance and darkened in color, stark and obvious and screaming to the world that— _yes, my dear, you are indeed knocked up again. Congratulations.  
  
__  
_ There were at least ten more pregnancy tests in the bathroom closet. She wondered how many she could go through and how much more sparkling water she would need to drink in order to make that much urine.  
  
  
Aro noticed her eyes twitched towards the tests again. “I believe there is an expression that is said about insanity, cara mia—” he hummed. Frustrated, she made a sound that was a cursed cross between a growl and a shriek.   
  


“Well, you got what you wanted,” Ramona said in annoyance, throwing the positive test in the garbage with distaste. “Aro always gets rewarded in some way or another.”  
  
  
“Mmm, _as I recall_ , you got very well rewarded as well,” Aro mused, his voice as smooth and light as honey. She ignored the heat pooling down in her jeans. It was not the time to be turned on.  
  
  
“ _Perhaps_ ,” she tried to sound strong, “but I definitely was not looking for _this_ outcome. At least, not yet…or at all…I don’t know,” the strong persona was slowly faltering the more she talked. She leaned her head back against the wall. “But _you_ certainly did. And _so_ you spun your manipulative little web around me and made me forget to take the necessary precautions.”  
  
  


“You are one of the strongest minded, stubborn, mule-headed people I’ve ever met, carina,” Aro commented, not so kindly. Ramona glared at him, eyes dark and eyebrows narrowed.  
  
  
“Same,” she said snarkily, crossing her arms. “Right back at you.”  
  
  
“So **I’d** say it would be pretty hard to manipulate you,” he said, bringing her into his arms. He tilted her chin up so her frowning face was looking up at him. “Isn’t that right? That you wanted to play just as much as I did,” his smirk grew, “and you enjoyed it just as much too.”  
  
  
Ramona’s eyes darted back and forth at his face, studying him intently. “Of course I did,” she admitted, a blush beginning to color her cheeks. “ ** _But_** I was determined not to, and you convinced me. Once again—proving your mastery at getting your own way. **_Yet again_**.”  
  
  
The man chuckled. “Ah yes. Forgive me, I forgot about my certificate of Machiavelli.”  
  
  
“Indeed,” she said, smiling despite herself. “It’s _very_ grand.”  
  
  
“Mmm, has floral bits and everything,” Aro nodded, playing along with her. His eyes were alight with mischief and she felt her heart skip a little quicker. “Gold lettering and all—”  
  
  
“You must be very proud,” she couldn’t help but flirt back. _Fucking stop it_ _and remember why you’re annoyed at him,_ her mind tried to stop her, trying to remind her to be angry with Aro. The vampire, reading her mind, sighed in exasperation, knowing she wouldn’t make it easy.   
  


“Ramona—” he started, running his hands along her shoulders and down her arms. She twitched at the pacifying nature. “I admit, that I am…not unhappy about this outcome,” she gave him a look, “ ** _but_** …I wasn’t actively _trying_ to impregnate you.”  
  
  
_So he says_ , she thought bitterly, trying to analyze him but finding that she couldn’t tell if he was being honest or not. He _seemed_ to be honest—he hadn’t displayed any of his usual tells—but sometimes she could never be sure.  
  
  
She frowned. “Well my season is fucked,” she said out loud, thinking about the fact that she still had another month left of the show. She had been dancing the part for two weeks now and was on her third week. And this would ruin everything.  
  
  
Aro sighed, “Let’s just wait and see what Carlisle says,” he suggested, rubbing his hands up and down her arms. She frowned, feeling apprehensive about the prospect of seeing the blond doctor. Seeing the vampire again, after their last encounter ended in heartbreak, made her stomach turn a bit.  
  
  
“Great. Let’s see what doctor fang has to say,” she muttered unhappily. Aro grinned in amusement though.  
  
  
“Ah, yes, our very own _stregoni benefici_.”  
  
  
Ramona, who now knew a great deal more Italian, snorted in derision. “ _Stregoni benefici,_ indeed.”  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Even though he had already expected it—and was quite convinced of what was happening to Mona—the multiple confirmations of the little white contraptions made him feel rather vindicated of going ahead and calling Carlisle. He knew Mona would simply try to argue her way out of it, the stubborn girl determined to bend reality to her will. But the fact of the matter was that she couldn’t, no matter how much she wanted to.  
  
  
He hoped that she did not receive such a dark gift when she transformed. It would make her more uppity than she already was—which was saying _a lot.  
  
_  
His golden haired friend came striding into Volterra like a man on a mission, purposeful and full of determination. He ignored the distrustful glances that were thrown his way. Carlisle, the ever serious, ever unamused, animal-drinking vampire, greeted Aro with a grim expression. “Aro,” he said shortly, reaching out his hand. Aro grasped it, but did not pay attention to his friend’s thoughts—he didn’t _need to_ read his thoughts to be able to feel the disappointment radiating off of him in waves.  
  
  
Carlisle’s handshake was painfully strong; a warning. Aro smirked at the prospect of fighting his oldest friend. “Where’s Ramona?” he finally asked.  
  
  
“In our quarters,” he waved for him to follow and they made their way up the stairs and to their bedroom. Ramona was laying in their bed, her hair a mess, an unhappy expression on her face, and her hand resting on her stomach. Her face soured even more at Carlisle’s arrival. But his friend didn’t seem to mind.  
  
  
“Ramona…” the doctor started, looking over her carefully. His eyes paused at the hand on her stomach. Aro could tell his friend was treading on thin ice. “Aro told me that you have not been feeling well lately.”  
  
  
Mona decided that she had no time for bullshitting and went to the matter directly. Seemingly out of thin air she pulled out one of the several pregnancy tests she took and waved it at the doctor. “ ** _No, decidedly not._** ” she stated testily, glaring at the test. Carlisle walked over and took it from her hand. He sighed, as if he were holding back the weight of the world in a single breath.  
  
  
“How many of these have you taken?” he asked, looking at the pink lines despondently. Aro glared in annoyance—he seemed to be the only person in the room who wasn’t miserable at the prospect.  
  
  
“Five,” she said, as if the number itself were poison. “I. took. _five.”  
  
_  
“And they were all positive, I assume?” his question proved unnecessary by the evil eye that she was giving him. He nodded in understanding. “Okay. Well next step is for me to give you a pelvic exam and try to see how far along in the pregnancy you are.”  
  
  
“Can you do that with what you have with you?” Aro asked skeptically, staring at the leather briefcase Carlisle brought with him. The doctor, who was rolling up his sleeves, nodded.  
  
  
“For now, yes. Although we would benefit from having an ultrasound machine and a few other medical supplies if the pregnancy is to go to term,” he stated carefully, as he snapped on his gloves. He made a gesture to Mona to remove her pants so he could begin the exam. “Is the pregnancy going to go to term?”  
  
  
Aro looked at Mona, who seemed to be decidedly looking anywhere but at him. He swallowed. “We haven’t discussed the matter yet.”  
  
  
Carlisle snorted. “Well, I suggest you do so,” he began pressing down along Mona’s lower stomach, feeling around. Aro watched silently, feeling a little bit of jealousy towards the golden eyed vampire. He had lived for over a thousand years, and in that time, never bothered to learn or educate himself in any medical practices. He had been too busy acting as a judge and executioner for further educational pursuits. A thousand years old and he still had _so much_ to learn. The doctor sighed. “I would have expected after her last pregnancy you would have been more careful…or even abstain, if you had to,” he gave Aro a disapproving look. “Did you even use any protection?”  
  
  
The Italian bristled. “Yes—”  
  
  
“ _For the most part_ ,” Mona cut him off, a blush creeping on her cheeks. Her fingers fidgeted with a long piece of her curly hair. “There were a few times we forgot…”  
Carlisle glared at Aro. “ _Forgot_ , hm?”  
  
  
Aro met the glare with one of his own. “Yes, Carlisle. Forgot.”  
  
  
The blond doctor looked unconvinced. “Then you were reckless. Especially after what happened with the first pregnancy. I expected better from you.” The words were directed at Aro, but they triggered something in Mona and she snapped at the doctor.  
  
  
“ ** _Accidents happen_** ,” she snarled, and Aro couldn’t tell who she was trying to convince more—Carlisle or herself. All he was glad was that it wasn’t being directed at him. She looked exhausted though, tired and pale. “Just—just finish this up so I can go back to sleep, I have a headache.”  
  


Without another word, Carlisle finished up the rest of the examination, and then took out his stethoscope and rested the part on her stomach. After a few moments, he sighed and removed it.  
  
  
“There’s a heartbeat,” he announced, his golden eyes meeting Aro’s red eyes in a flash of concern. It made him uneasy. “She’s indeed pregnant.”  
  
  
“So what now?” Aro asked, feeling a wave of deja vu wash over him. They’ve all done this before.  
  
  
Mona leaned back into the pillow and closed her eyes. “ _Now_ you can both leave me alone so I can sleep,” she muttered crankily, pulling up the covers and turning away from them. Aro rolled his eyes at her stubborn behavior but left her alone, and he and the vampire doctor closed the door behind them. Away from the fragile human, Carlisle finally unleashed his judgmental condemnation upon Aro.  
  
  
“ _What were you thinking?”_ Carlisle shook his head in exasperation. “How could you have thought this was a good idea?”  
  
  
“Believe it or not, this time I was not actively _trying_ to get her pregnant,” Aro explained, feeling the need to defend himself. “Mistakes have been made, but you should know that I do not want anything bad to happen to my mate.”  
  
  
“Well now that’s out of your control,” Carlisle told him, “If you _do_ decide to keep it, we will have to take extra measures and precautions for Ramona’s health and safety. Having one miscarriage slightly increases the chances of having another one. Especially under stressful conditions.”  
  
  
“She will not be stressed this time,” Aro argued, feeling a knot tighten in his stomach when he thought back to how Mona was during the first pregnancy. Stress and devastated and self medicating with alcohol. How broken he made her. “It won’t be the same, it’ll be better.”  
  
  
Whether he had the same amount of enthusiasm or hope as Aro, he didn’t say. “I will write you a list of medical supplies that you will need to take care of Mona, including an ultrasound machine. In the meantime, make sure she is comfortable, and I will be staying in Volterra for the remainder of her pregnancy.”  
  
  
“Of course,” Aro blinked, trying to process everything that the doctor was saying to him. He was eager to make sure that Ramona would have perfect support during this pregnancy, however, and would do whatever he needed to do. “Anything. Whatever you need, it’s yours. For Ramona.”  
  


He was certain that Carlisle had enough of him, because he gave him another one of his trademark looks—that condescending mix of disappointment, misery, and exhaustion—before stalking off. Leaving Aro with his thoughts and a sleeping, grumpy, pregnant human waiting for him in his bed.  
  
  
Despite it all, Aro found himself completely, totally, and utterly delighted.  
  
  


* * *

  
  
Ramona stared at the bowl of ramen, trying to breathe in the warm, familiar scent that reminded her of home, letting the steam create a pit of heat in her chest. When she woke up, Aro had been laying beside her and absentmindedly stroking her hair, in a rather loving manner. Instead of enjoying it, she found herself slightly frustrated and used the opportunity to demand him to find traditional Japanese ramen—thinking he would be unable to find anything good in Italy. Turns out she was wrong, and now she had a _smug_ looking vampire who presented her with the best looking ramen she had ever had.  
  
  
“Aren’t you going to eat it, carina?” Aro watched her carefully, noticing how she hadn’t taken a bite in about five minutes. Swallowing, she nodded, and carefully dipped her spoon in to try some of the broth. It was light, a bit salty and sour, but delicious.  
  
  
She waited for her stomach to turn on her.  
  
  
Ramona remembered struggling to eat during her last pregnancy, constantly throwing up and feeling overall disgusting the entire time. But so far she felt okay—for the most part—and the hot broth felt good, like it was just what her body was needing. Feeling brave, she began to eat the noodles and meat and vegetables, chewing slowly and waiting for her body to react badly. But it didn’t, and soon enough she found herself staring down at an empty bowl and was pleasantly full. And didn’t feel sick at all.  
  
  
She was wary to trust it though. “You better get a bucket just in case,” she said out loud, looking around their room and wondering if the path to the bathroom was too far if she upchucked. Aro raised a brow at the human.  
  
  
“Such sensitive creatures you are,” he pondered out loud, before reaching over and pulling a stray hair behind her ear, his fingers lingering against her bare skin. She flashed him a look of annoyance—and a reminder that this _sensitivity_ was mostly his fault. He didn’t look sheepish, however; the vampire had a rather proud look upon his face, and she fought the urge to smack it off.  
  
  
“You wouldn’t” Aro quipped, and at her dirty look he clicked his tongue, “Ah, _well_ —I suppose I shouldn't say **_wouldn’t_** —you have certainly tried before—rather _can’t_ …although when you are turned, I will be very intrigued to see you try. Vampires are at their strongest when they are newborns.”  
  
  
She shifted uncomfortably at the thought. Despite the enjoyment she would certainly have knowing she could possibly overcome Aro, the thought of being a vampire was something she still hadn’t wrapped her head around. She barely could wrap her head around being a mother—it took her a lot the first time around. And now here she was— _again_ —and if things didn’t go wrong this time…she’d have a baby in her arms in two weeks. And she…well, she understood there were only two outcomes.  
  
  
Death, or forever.  
  
  
Forever with Aro sounded nice.  
  
  
However, th _e rest of it_ that came with the price of immortality—  
  
  
“Your blood type is “O+”, yes carina?” Aro interrupted her silent musing, and she frowned before nodding. He looked pleased. “Ah good, that is what I requested Carlisle to get for you. I thought you were.”  
  
  
Ramona raised a brow, her voice laced with skepticism. “And what is Carlisle getting “O+” blood for?”  
  
  
He hummed. “A few reasons, to be honest. You may lose quite a bit of blood during the birthing process and it may help stabilize you…or something, not sure, didn’t quite understand everything that Carlisle was telling me. We also would like you to begin drinking it as soon as possib—”  
  
  
“ ** _Absolutely not_** ,” her interruption cut his sentence like a knife, “You _have_ to be kidding me.You cannot truly expect me to do that.”  
  
  
Aro looked unimpressed. “Your sister did,” he said, as if that was reason enough. Ramona remained unturned—her sister did a lot of things that she did not agree with, and that she thought was ridiculous. “And it _worked_. Her daughter was draining her of her lifeforce, slowly killing her and making her waste away to nothing. Drinking of blood revitalized her…but it may have been too late in the process. If we could get you to drink it earlier, Carlisle believes you might have a better outcome…a _safer_ outcome.”  
  
  
Ramona remained skeptical. “I’m feeling fine so far…do I really need to drink _blood_ at this point? I’ll be doing that for the rest of my unnatural life anyway, can’t I just get some coffee and margaritas in while I can before I’ll never get to enjoy them again?”  
  
  
“Alcohol and caffeine, Mona?” Aro tsked, and he smirked, “ ** _absolutely not_** ,” he repeated her own words back at her, and she scowled. “I may not know much about pregnancy, but I do not believe those are good for the baby.”  
  
  
A flashback of her last pregnancy went through her mind and she felt her stomach tighten with guilt. A lump swelled up in her throat. “Yeah…” she fidgeted, clutching the comforter closer to her. Aro studied her before slowly grabbing her face, turning her head to look at him. She realized that his red eyes were no longer strange to her— _just when did_ ** _that_** _happen anyway?_ —they were just a part of him. Like his cold hands, and marble face…features that she, too, would one day share. As would her child, undoubtedly.  
  
  
“I am here with you this time, the _whole time_ ,” Aro insisted, his thumb brushing against the soft, warm skin of her cheek. She wondered if it felt like fire to him. “Nothing will happen to you. _Either_ of you.”  
  
  
She could only maintain eye contact for a moment before breaking it, staring out the window in thought. It was getting dark out. _Already_ …damn winter made the day darken so early now. Ramona let herself feel a bit of remorse looking at the dark sky—for the most part, that was what she would see for most of her life, right? No more bright sunny mornings or sunbathing on the beach. Forever wandering under a star kissed sky….but at least Aro would be with her. And the baby.  
  
  
“What will I tell Signora Ionetti?” she wondered out loud, thinking of her ballet instructor who had already been so kind to let her off after her first pregnancy. She hated being such a disappointment—it was so unlike her. Ramona had put work before everything else her entire life. And now…well, it felt so strange. But, she supposed….she was just going to have to get used to “ _strange”_.  
  
  
Aro snorted, and waved the issue away like it didn’t make a difference in the world. “Nothing,” he said blandly, “it does not matter—”  
  
  
“It _does_ matter,” she insisted, and she made a move to climb up on top of him, straddling the vampire with her thighs. He huffed as if she weighed a ton, which she glared at—they both knew she weighed next to nothing compared to his inhuman strength. He smirked. “It **_does_** , Aro. I’d like…I think…to finish up the week.”  
  
  
He immediately became argumentative. “ _Are you_ ** _out of your mind_** — _?_ ”  
  
  
“It’s just three more dances!” she argued back, “I’ll be _fine_.”  
  
  
“Until you vomit on stage,” Aro said as he painted the most vivid picture of her as a ballerina twirling and puking all over the stage. She rolled her eyes. “Or until you accidentally land wrong on a turn, and twist your ankle, and hurt yourself, and the baby—”  
  
  
“Aro, what’s the likelihood of that even happening—”  
  
  
“I will find out the answer to that after I find out the likelihood of you pirouetting your way off stage and breaking three ribs—”  
  
  
Fortunately for Ramona, Aro was often easily influenced after a bout of pleading and she would get her final three performances.  
  


* * *

  
**Oh also - I spent three and a half hours in a drive through line today to get COVID tested after this guy I've been seeing tested positive.**

**So yeah, cheers on that front too.**

**I'm a fucking hot mess, I'm sorry everyone lol**


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